The head of the U.N drugs agency (UNODC) Antonio Maria Costa has warned that widespread drug trafficking is transforming Africa into a major crime hub. Antonio Maria Costa said huge amounts of heroin and cocaine were being traded by terrorists and anti-government forces to fund their operations. He called for a trans-Saharan network to be set up to tackle criminal groups. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said drug trafficking was also affecting peace-keeping efforts in Afghanistan, Haiti, Guinea-Bissau and elsewhere. The UN Security Council adopted a statement voicing concern about the impact of the African narcotics trade and called for stronger regional cooperation in the fight against illegal drugs.