Altaghyeer breaks into  the world of “ice  drug” … The  shocking addicts situation, law enforcement agents behind the death trade

“Ice” is one of the nicknames of the highly addictive stimulant drug; methamphetamine. It has imposed itself on the already deteriorated conditions of the Sudanese people. Altaghyeer discussed the issue with specialists, law men and a youth who have recovered from addiction.

Altaghyeer: Amal Mohammed Alhassan

“My young brother once used a steel chain to tie me to bed when I tried to escape from the hospital; this is the most cruel experience of my life” says Majdi who has been receiving addiction treatment in the Medical Corps Hospital of Omdurman.

In this month he has turned a year of medication during which he lost his job, two cars, $30,000 of saved money and his fiancee.

Ice drug

Majdi said material losses could be compensated but “how can I regain my family’s respect as the elder brother who used to stand out as model for others and the breadwinner, after the death of our father”.

Despite his material losses, Majdi is one of the luckiest addicts because he sustained the bipolar disorder only; episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.

Unlike the plant-based drugs (marijuana and cocaine), ice is manufactured in laboratories from relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. The white powder can be made into a pill or a shiny rock (crystal).

Dangerous ways of taking

One gram of ice fetches 18,000 Sudanese pounds. It is sufficient for three doses.

Ice can be swallowed  or snorted or smoked in a pipe or mixed with liquid and injected.

Taking the drug by injection has led to spread of some dangerous diseases. Psychiatry consultant Mohamed Ahmed Alsheikh said many addicts suffer two dangerous diseases; hepatitis C and hepatitis B. Some of them also suffer AIDS.

Greed and exploitation

Majdi told Altaghyeer that he used to buy the ice drug from two persons affiliated to the regular forces; one of them worked for the Federal Investigation unit and the other worked with drugs combating police unit.

He said they used his car to transport the drug from East Nile area. He said the price there was 7,000 pounds for one gram compared to 18,000 pound in Khartoum. He discovered later how they had exploited him.

Conspiracies in drugs Combating Administration

A senior official in the drugs Combating Administration was suspicious that money was not the only factor behind the spread of drugs among the youth. He cited some incidents that show there were mysterious plans behind this issue.

One of the efficient employees of the administration was transfered to the Security Police unit immediately after he returned from an external training course in which he had won the first place.

Another officer at the administration said suspicious decisions were taken such as transferring most of the noncommissioned officers who shoulder the field work to other police units. Such decisions affected the work negatively.

The source commented that “if a drug trader was the manager of this administration he would not have been able to dismantle it the way it was going now”.

He also lamented that most of the drugs trials ended with fines as if their trial was used as source of income for the government coffer.

On the other hand the staff of the administration was remarkably cut down as the police administration used to employ them in handling the protests.

AL Burman’s campaign

In late 2022 leader of the coup Sovereign Council Abdul Fatah Al Burhan launched a joint anti drug campaign. The campaign, according to one of the field officers, succeeded to storm in the  strongholds of dealers.