VOA标准英语2008年-UN: Guinea Bissau Air Traffic Controller Arrest

A U.N. official reveals that recent drug arrests in Guinea Bissau are the result of a two-month-long investigation¹. The country's judicial² police have arrested five people suspected to be involved with cocaine³ trafficking through the West African nation, including the head of air traffic control at the country's main airport. Ricci Shryock has more from Dakar.
　
Guinea Bissau

Two months of investigation by the judiciary police in Guinea Bissau culminated⁴ last week with the arrest of five suspects.

Local forces also seized an airplane said to have contained 500 kilograms of cocaine.

The West African representative for the U.N. Office for Drugs and Crime, Antonio Mazzitelli, says this is part of an ongoing⁵ problem in the area.

"The operation that has been carried out this week does nothing more than confirm what we have been saying," said Antonio Mazzitelli. "What the government of Guinea Bissau and more and more governments in the region are saying-that the whole region is under attack by traffickers."

Mazzitelli says three of the men who were arrested are from Latin America. In recent years, West African countries have become a transit⁶ hub for shipping⁷ cocaine from Latin America to Europe.

Mazzitelli adds local forces are not equipped to combat the infusion⁸ of international drug traffickers. He says the international community needs to come to the area's aid.

Last month, the U.N. office secured two million euros from the European Union for this purpose. The money is part of a package worth around $5 million that the office has secured to help Guinea Bissau's forces fight drug trafficking. But only a fraction of the amount has been put to use.

"We have already delivered something in the range of $120,000 assistance," he said.

Mazzitelli says this money was used to send Guinea Bissau judicial staff to training in Brazil, as well as to provide generators⁹, fuel and computers.

The $5 million, that were pledged in June, have not been received, though Mazitelli adds the papers have been signed and it is now a matter of transferring the money.

He says local forces, with the help of international aid, are increasing their abilities to fight drug trafficking.

"Certainly the situation is improving," said Mazzitelli. "We think, and based on the modus, the reaction by the judicial police in Guinea Bissau who are in other countries of the region, that we are gradually moving from a reactive stance, a passive one, which saw drugs just transiting¹⁰ West Africa according to national authorities to a much more proactive approach."

The United Nations has ranked Guinea Bissau as the third-poorest country in the world for human development.

　

 

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

3 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

4 culminated   

v.达到极点( culminate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• a gun battle which culminated in the death of two police officers 一场造成两名警察死亡的枪战
• The gala culminated in a firework display. 晚会以大放烟火告终。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

6 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

7 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

8 infusion   

n.灌输

参考例句：

• Old families need an infusion of new blood from time to time.古老的家族需要不时地注入新鲜血液。
• Careful observation of the infusion site is necessary.必须仔细观察输液部位。

9 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 transiting   

通过（transit的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• The effect of the transiting mechanic required reserve system vehicle is low. 准备金制度的传导机制的作用是很低的。
• I was busy transiting to the telescope. 我正忙着旋转望远镜。