Burkina Faso authorities on Sunday burnt 19 tons of drugs including cannabis, heroin and fake medicines in the north-western outskirts of the capital Ouagadougou.

The operation was conducted marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illegal Trafficking in Burkina Faso.

"Due to its geographical location, our country is not an islet out of drug traffickers' assault," the ministry of security Simon Compaore said on the occasion.

He went on to explain that Burkina Faso "has become a zone of transit for hard drugs and of the use of soft drugs".

About 123 tons of cannabis, 51 kg of cocaine, and 36 tons of street medicines have been seized over the last three years in the West African country.

Simon Compaoré disclosed theses figures contained in a report from the National Committee to Fight Against Drugs (CNLD) in the country.

CNLD secretary general Mariam Diallo-Zorome said results from a small scale survey even revealed drug use by children in schools.

Mariam Diallo-Zorome went on to say 63 pupils and 13 students were been caught in Burkina Faso for drug issues over the first quarter of 2016.

source : xinhua