SOUTH AMERICA – Drug trafficking infiltrates half of the European Union’s most menacing criminal networks, according to a recent Europol report, showcasing the extent of illegal activities within legitimate industries, notably the fresh produce trade.

Latin American fruit exporters now face heightened vigilance as significant drug seizures plague ports worldwide.

The report exposes how criminal networks ingeniously exploit legal business structures to perpetrate and conceal illicit activities, with fruit exports emerging as a target.

A case in point involves Ecuadorian banana exports, where drug trafficking networks have ensnared certain fruit companies.

One highlighted example involves an Italian-Argentinean businessman residing in Marbella, orchestrating a web of companies to mask drug trafficking and money laundering.

Collaborating with an Albanian accomplice in Ecuador, they facilitate the import of cocaine from Colombia concealed within banana shipments destined for the EU.

Notable drug interceptions, like the discovery of 8.8 tons of cocaine in a Belgian-bound banana shipment from Ecuador and a 9.5-ton haul in Spain, underscore the magnitude of the issue.

Beyond economic ramifications, the infiltration of criminal elements destabilizes security, fueling violence and crime in regions such as Guayaquil, Ecuador’s banana hub.

Jose Antonio Hidalgo, from the Ecuadorian Association of Banana Exporters, attributes blame not only to South American sources but also to European authorities for inadequate efforts to curb drug consumption.

Emphasizing the cross-border nature of criminal operations, he calls for a shift in addressing drug addiction as a public health crisis.

Further reports highlight how criminal syndicates extort and coerce fruit producers across Mexico, while avocado trades in Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Chile face encroachment by gangs.

Belgo-Dutch networks, entrenched in cocaine trafficking, operate near key European ports, prompting enhanced security measures affecting Latin American exporters.

Europol’s findings reveal expansive criminal networks spanning over 40 countries, with European entities exerting control over cocaine supply chains originating in Latin America.

These networks engage in multifaceted criminal activities, including violence, corruption, money laundering, and arms trafficking.

Despite South America’s role as the primary cocaine producer, Europol identifies key members from European nations leading criminal operations in the region, with only a minority originating from Latin American countries.

A vendor from Guayaquil echoes shared responsibility among all stakeholders, emphasizing the detrimental impact on their nation.

Cocaine trafficking dominates Europe’s most menacing criminal networks, leveraging the continent’s strategic ports for distribution.

These networks exhibit adaptability, employing diverse strategies to transport drugs via air, sea, or land routes, often concealing illicit substances within legitimate cargo.

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