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4 clusters · 10 sources · 17 days · First seen · Last updated

South American cocaine trafficking to Europe

Overview

Transnational criminal organizations are utilizing increasingly complex maritime and logistical routes to transport cocaine from South America to European markets. Albanian criminal clans have established Ecuador as a strategic hub, specifically utilizing the port infrastructure in Guayaquil to smuggle narcotics within legal cargo containers, such as banana exports. This operation is facilitated by institutional weaknesses, a dollarized economy, and a significant increase in European cocaine demand. These groups have operated in the region since approximately 2009, often aligning with the interests of the Italian ‘Ndrangheta. Recent developments indicate a deepening integration of this criminal ecosystem, which now links local gangs and Latin American cartels with Balkan networks to exploit Ecuador’s major commercial ports. The shift toward large-scale maritime logistics is driven by the strategic position of Ecuador between major producers like Colombia and Peru. Experts note that the ‘Ndrangheta increasingly acts as an international intermediary, financing shipments and organizing logistics rather than seeking direct territorial control. Global cocaine production reached a record of approximately 4,100 tons in 2024. In Ecuador, authorities seized nearly 300 tons of drugs in 2024, with over 70 tons confiscated in the early months of 2026 alone. In addition to Ecuadorian hubs, trafficking organizations are employing diverse transit methods through the Caribbean, using the Dominican Republic as a key point. Tactics include changing vessels and the ‘medio palo’ method, where shipments are distributed among smaller boats to resemble local fishing activity. To evade interdiction, traffickers are prioritizing logistical security, sometimes utilizing distant ports in the Southern Cone, such as Buenos Aires and Montevideo, as hubs for re-exportation to global markets. In September 2026, Greek police and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) dismantled an Albanian criminal network during an operation titled ‘Lulet e së keqes’ (Flowers of Evil).

Entities

Dominican Republic · South America · Europe · Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas · Colombia

Timeline

  1. about 4 hours ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Albanian criminal network dismantled in Greek cocaine smuggling operation

    Greek and US authorities dismantled a cocaine trafficking ring using rose shipments from Colombia via Canada. Meanwhile, Albania's police chief has ordered intensified crackdowns on drugs and school security.

  2. 13 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Ecuadorian ports targeted by ’Ndrangheta and Albanian crime networks

    The ’Ndrangheta and Albanian criminal networks are expanding their influence in Ecuador, using major commercial ports and banana exports to facilitate large-scale cocaine trafficking to Europe.

  3. 16 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Drug trafficking routes connect South America to Europe via the Caribbean

    Drug trafficking organizations are evolving their logistics, using the Dominican Republic and Southern Cone ports as strategic hubs to move cocaine from South America to Europe while minimizing interception.

  4. 17 days ago

    [CRIME] 4 sources
    Albanian mafia establishes Ecuador as cocaine gateway to Europe

    Albanian mafia clans are using Ecuador and its major ports, like Guayaquil, as a strategic hub to transport Colombian cocaine to Europe, exploiting institutional weaknesses and high European demand.

Sources

balkanweb.com · cuencahighlife.com · eldia.com.do · elespectador.com · elnuevosiglo.com.co · eluniverso.com · hoy.com.do · kohajone.com · lanacion.com.ec · shqipmedia.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history