How Guinea-Bissau became a narco-state

The BBC World Service has a good documentary explaining how the small West African state of Guinea-Bissau has become the central transit point for South American drugs traffickers ferrying their poison to Europe. And how these crime lords are taking over the country.

The country is hurt by its geography. The islands of Guinea-Bissau cover more territory than the mainland.

It's also hurt by its infrastructure that was neglected for decades... and what little that was left was destroyed during the late 90s civil war. In addition to having a barely functioning, understaffed, underresourced government, the country doesn't have a prison, according to the BBC.

No wonder it's considered an ideal location for gangsters.