Bolivia wood‑cocaine smuggling scandal fuels political controversy

Bolivian authorities launched a large‑scale civil‑police operation on 15 June 2026 to dismantle a network that concealed about 108 tonnes of high‑purity cocaine inside exported timber. The raid, coordinated by the Ministerio Público and the Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico (Felcn), targeted companies in Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and La Paz, with plans for up to 50 interventions and investigations of roughly 150 exporters. No arrests have been reported pending laboratory results, and officials noted the technical difficulty of detecting the drug, recalling a forensic test that “didn't respond” and required cutting wood doors for analysis.

The scandal, dubbed “narcomadera,” was first uncovered by Chilean customs and police, who traced the shipment to 45 containers moving through at least 14 international ports, including one bound for Miami. Bolivian deputy Rodrigo Arce criticised the episode as a $8.3 billion illicit operation—about 10 % of the country's GDP—and highlighted personal ties between the logistics firms and senior officials, raising suspicions of governmental complicity. The incident has intensified debate over Bolivia’s participation in the US‑led “Escudo de las Américas” security program and the role of the DEA in the country.