Authorities in the disputed Abyei region said on Friday they had arrested four suspected drug dealers and seized narcotics during a security operation in Abyei town.
Yohana Akol, spokesperson for the Abyei Area administration, told Radio Tamazuj that police confiscated 56 rolls of cannabis, locally known as bangi, and an unspecified quantity of tramadol tablets during the arrests.
He said security forces were continuing searches for other suspected dealers in the town and surrounding counties, citing growing concern over drug abuse among young people.
“The main challenge is the increasing involvement of youth in the drug trade,” Akol said, adding that the administration had ordered intensified searches to curb related crimes.
Last year, Abyei authorities imposed restrictions on the use of illegal substances, including a ban on alcohol consumption in shops and public places, following a surge in crime, officials said.
Akol said investigations were under way and cases would be opened against the suspects, stressing that the administration was determined to prevent crime linked to drug abuse.
Bulabek Deng Kuol, the paramount chief of the Ngok Dinka in Abyei, welcomed the arrests but blamed economic hardship for pushing some young people into the drug trade.
“Abyei is congested with refugees, returnees and traders, and job opportunities are limited,” Deng said. “But drug trafficking is destructive, and we support the government’s action to stop it.”
He said community leaders would work with authorities to monitor and report drug-related activities in the area.