Wednesday July 8, 2009, 4:54 pm
"A report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime says the smuggling of oil, arms, toxic waste, diamonds and cigarettes continues to flourish in West Africa.

Corruption is also rife among senior officials, undermining democracy and economic development, the UN says.

But the report did notice one positive trend: a reduction in the flow of cocaine through West Africa to Europe.

In recent years West African countries have been used as a transit point by Colombian drug lords. But increased international attention has smothered some trafficking activity in the past year."

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