Son of ex-African dictator nabbed for drugs

The oldest son of late Guinean president Lansana Conte was arrested yesterday for drug trafficking in that West African country.

Ousmane Conte- a commander in the Guinean army- was nabbed by army officials and taken to a military camp for detention. According to AFP, Conte was named by other alleged drug traffickers and had been implicated in a 2008 investigation of intercepted plane carrying cocaine into Guinea.

A military junta has led Guinea since Lansana Conte died in late December after 24 years in power. Since then, details of widespread corruption during his time in power have emerged as western Africa has become a de facto safety haven for drug trafficking from Latin America into Europe.

According to BBC News:

On Monday a relative of the former president was shown on state television confessing that he had received tens of thousands of dollars from a Colombian partner.

The army officers who seized power when President Conte died, after more than 20 years in power, said they intended to punish the corruption associated with the illegal drugs trade.

Image- BBC News (“About 50 tones of cocaine are shipped through West Africa each year.”)
Online Sources- BBC News, The Latin Americanist, Reuters, AP, AFP