[REVISION HISTORY]

South American cocaine trafficking to Europe

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2026-09-01 03:21 UTC → 2026-09-11 18:05 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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).

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