Somalia’s Commerce Minister Denounces Youth Drug Crisis, Denies Govt Role in Illicit Trade

Somalia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, H.E. Jamal Mohamed Hassan, has issued a stark condemnation of the growing narcotics crisis affecting Somali youth, rejecting claims that the government has any role in taxing or licensing the illegal drug trade.

In a candid interview with state media, the Minister addressed reports of a surge in illicit substances, including pills and injectable narcotics, entering the country through hidden routes. While acknowledging that some shipments are intercepted, he noted that many evade official checks, fueling a public health crisis that he described as deeply troubling.

Minister Hassan expressed personal anguish over the situation, stating that the well-being of the next generation is at stake.

“I am truly saddened by the situation facing the youth,” he said during the interview. He emphasized that those profiting from the trade bear direct responsibility for the harm inflicted on young Somalis and called on national security agencies to act without delay. “I urge the security agencies to take action against the individuals causing this harm,” the Minister said.

When asked whether the government collects revenue from narcotics shipments that pass through unofficial channels, Minister Hassan dismissed the notion, clarifying that no taxes are levied on such activities, nor does his Ministry authorize them.

“I do not believe that taxes are collected from such activities,” he stated. He further affirmed that no trader involved in narcotics, syringes, or the distribution of harmful substances has ever approached the Ministry for licensing. “We have not seen them, and we do not issue licenses,” he said.

The Minister’s remarks come amid growing public concern over the availability of illicit drugs and the perceived lack of accountability. His statements serve to distance the federal government from any suggestion of complicity, instead placing the onus squarely on security institutions to dismantle the networks behind the trade.

Minister Hassan’s interview underscores a broader concern within the Federal Government of Somalia regarding the intersection of public health, youth welfare, and national security. While the Ministry of Commerce and Industry oversees legitimate trade and business licensing, the Minister made it clear that narcotics trafficking falls entirely outside the scope of government-sanctioned commerce.

As calls intensify for a coordinated response, the Minister’s appeal to security agencies signals a push for enforcement operations targeting both supply chains and those who exploit the country’s youth for illicit profit.