Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Saturday, May 24, 2025
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    seafarer

    CMCF: 86% of employers report difficulty recruiting

    NTSB

    NTSB Investigation: Unattended helm leads to grounding

    containership Norway

    Norwegian man wakes up to grounded containership in his garden

    NCSR 12

    IMO NCSR 12: Key outcomes

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: How to avoid a climate disaster

    mental health

    MOL takes step to enhance the mental health of its crew

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: The Art Of War

    relax

    In the calm lies the cure: Exploring the parasympathetic nervous system

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    car carrier methanol

    World’s largest car carrier powered by methanol gets launched

    Pacific Environment

    Pacific Environment: IMO’s carbon levy is a progress but more steps are needed

    Dutch-Canadian deal sees the establishment of green corridor

    Dutch-Canadian deal sees the establishment of green corridor

    US energy

    IGU World LNG Report: LNG trade grew by 2.4% in 2024

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    cyber security

    CyberOwl raises alarm on phising and malware campaign

    Hong Kong

    Hong Kong launches smart port system for interconnectivity

    Port call optimization software gets nod by BV

    Port call optimization software gets nod by BV

    Cyberattacks

    Marlink: Stronger policy and user awareness against cyber threats

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    Malaysia

    Malaysia detains container ship for illegal anchoring

    estonia green retrofitting

    Estonia redirects maritime traffic following tanker detention by Russia

    PSC

    Black Sea MoU Annual Report: 4,587 inspections in 2024

    RISK4SEA unveils updated editions featuring worldwide data from the last 36M

    RISK4SEA unveils updated editions featuring worldwide data from the last 36M

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    DCSA eBL

    Watch: Why is shipping adopting eBLs?

    Baltic Exchange

    Baltic Exchange: Maritime market highlights 19-23 May

    Trump tariffs

    Xeneta: How the tariffs truce impacts transpacific shipping

    ocean economy

    Sustainable ocean economy could create 51 million jobs by 2050

  • Columns
    bulk carrier

    Practical tips on the use of bulk carriers for transporting general cargo

    enclosed space

    IOMSR: Why urgent action is needed to improve enclosed space safety

    soft skills

    Soft skills training and development: Bridging the competency gap on the human element

    Trending Tags

    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    seafarer

    CMCF: 86% of employers report difficulty recruiting

    NTSB

    NTSB Investigation: Unattended helm leads to grounding

    containership Norway

    Norwegian man wakes up to grounded containership in his garden

    NCSR 12

    IMO NCSR 12: Key outcomes

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: How to avoid a climate disaster

    mental health

    MOL takes step to enhance the mental health of its crew

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: The Art Of War

    relax

    In the calm lies the cure: Exploring the parasympathetic nervous system

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    car carrier methanol

    World’s largest car carrier powered by methanol gets launched

    Pacific Environment

    Pacific Environment: IMO’s carbon levy is a progress but more steps are needed

    Dutch-Canadian deal sees the establishment of green corridor

    Dutch-Canadian deal sees the establishment of green corridor

    US energy

    IGU World LNG Report: LNG trade grew by 2.4% in 2024

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    cyber security

    CyberOwl raises alarm on phising and malware campaign

    Hong Kong

    Hong Kong launches smart port system for interconnectivity

    Port call optimization software gets nod by BV

    Port call optimization software gets nod by BV

    Cyberattacks

    Marlink: Stronger policy and user awareness against cyber threats

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    Malaysia

    Malaysia detains container ship for illegal anchoring

    estonia green retrofitting

    Estonia redirects maritime traffic following tanker detention by Russia

    PSC

    Black Sea MoU Annual Report: 4,587 inspections in 2024

    RISK4SEA unveils updated editions featuring worldwide data from the last 36M

    RISK4SEA unveils updated editions featuring worldwide data from the last 36M

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    DCSA eBL

    Watch: Why is shipping adopting eBLs?

    Baltic Exchange

    Baltic Exchange: Maritime market highlights 19-23 May

    Trump tariffs

    Xeneta: How the tariffs truce impacts transpacific shipping

    ocean economy

    Sustainable ocean economy could create 51 million jobs by 2050

  • Columns
    bulk carrier

    Practical tips on the use of bulk carriers for transporting general cargo

    enclosed space

    IOMSR: Why urgent action is needed to improve enclosed space safety

    soft skills

    Soft skills training and development: Bridging the competency gap on the human element

    Trending Tags

    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

Colombia: The world’s largest cocaine producer

by The Editorial Team
May 4, 2022
in Security
cocaine

Credits: Shutterstock

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

Colombia appears to be the largest producer of cocaine in the world, supplying the most cocaine to North American and Europe by sea transport.

The published United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) report – World Drug Report 2021 – and the 2021 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report revealed that Colombia accounts for two thirds of the global area under coca bush cultivation and cocaine production. This poses a great problem for shipowners and operators of vessels that depart from the Colombian ports. In 2021, the Colombian Navy broke its historical record of drug seizures with 403 tons of illicit substances confiscated.

According to the marine insurance company Skuld, as port controls become stricter, with ever more significant quantities of cocaine being seized in Latin America and Europe, criminal networks need to innovate. A report by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) stated that liquid cocaine is almost imperceptible by scanners installed in ports or airports.

RelatedNews

Britannia Club: Stowaway incidents remain high

UN Sec-Gen: Without maritime security, there can be no global security

On 5 February 2022, Colombian police seized around 3.5 tons of liquid cocaine at the northern port of Cartagena. This was the fifth seizure of liquid cocaine since November 2021 and came just one week after the discovery of nearly 20,000 coconuts filled with liquid cocaine, also found in the port of Cartagena, and bound for Italy. In the latest seizure, the cocaine had been dissolved and mixed in two shipments, one of organic fertilizer and the other of molasses extracted from sugar cane. Both shipments came from Urabá, a region in north-western Colombia, and authorities said they were destined for the ports of Valencia, Spain, and Veracruz, Mexico.

Traffickers are taking advantage of new technology and methods to facilitate access to maritime containers loaded with cocaine and for concealing cocaine.

EXPLORE MORE AT THE UNODC WORLD DRUG REPORT 2021

Currently, traffickers are using the rip-on/rip-off method where they avoid profiling by breaking open containers of legitimate exports to ship the drugs. They then use cloned customs seals to conceal the tampering. In most cases, the containers are contaminated as they are waiting to be loaded, meaning traffickers require access to the port areas usually through the recruitment of corrupt drivers, transport companies, stevedores, and container yard workers, to load drugs into containers.

According to Skuld, traffickers strive to continue to avoid the risks from profiling by hiding drugs in the structure of the container itself – bricks of cocaine are stuffed into cavities in the walls, ceilings, floors, and doors, or in the insulation or cooling equipment of refrigerated containers known as “reefers”.

Because of that, authorities are using scanners in ports, which are deployed both at random and because of risk profiling. In some locations, such as the port of Santos in Brazil, traffickers have retorted by contaminating containers that have already been inspected and cracking them open at the last possible moment before loading. However, traffickers are also using the “drop offs” method or contaminating the containers at sea after the ship has left the port. This modus operandi usually depends on extensive corruption among the crew but also involves armed gangs boarding ships and forcing crews to take loads at gunpoint.

Drop offs are now not only happening as ships sail enroute, but also as they pass through the waters of other nations, with sources reporting the state of Falcón in Venezuela as a particular hotspot. Authorities are tackling this trafficking method using the ship’s GPS device, which gives information on the speed of the ship. If a ship suddenly slows down or stops, an alarm sounds.

Nevertheless, traffickers are already exploring new options such as the “switch” technique, which consists of swapping drugs to “cold” or non-flagged containers in transit – this risk is especially high in Panama.

EXPLORE MORE AT THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT

Colombia: The world’s largest cocaine producerColombia: The world’s largest cocaine producer
Colombia: The world’s largest cocaine producerColombia: The world’s largest cocaine producer
Tags: drugsmaritime securitySkuld ClubsmugglingUNODC
Previous Post

EU makes proposal to phase out Russian oil imports by end of 2022

Next Post

Shipping must focus on ships’ whole life-cycle CO2 emissions

Related News

fish farms
Safety

Skuld: Precautions for fish farms in Lanshan, China

May 21, 2025
Dryad Global
Security

Dryad Global: Maritime militarisation and hybrid threats are growing

May 21, 2025
libya tripoli
Alerts

Tripoli port operations suspended due to escalating violence

May 20, 2025
Kenya
Security

Kenya focuses on advancing maritime security legal framework

May 20, 2025
piracy armed robbery
Security

IMO Piracy Report: Twenty four incidents during March 2025

May 13, 2025
red sea houthis
Alerts

Windward: GPS jamming is a rising cyber threat in the Red Sea

May 13, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

No Result
View All Result
MARITIME EVENTS

Explore

  • Safety
  • SEAFiT
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Content Marketing
  • Contact

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

Manage your privacy
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA