By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat
The National Police force of Ecuador seized a massive cocaine shipment weighing 8.8 tons in a container of bananas at the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The seizure was announced as the largest bust far this year.
The shipment was destined for Belgium, which is characterized as the "the primary entry point for cocaine smuggled into Europe" according to the US State Department in 2020. The report identifies the Port of Antwerp as the main doorway into Europe, where criminal groups smuggle product from Latin America on container ships. In 2022, 110 tons of cocaine were seized at the Port of Antwerp, reported Belgian authorities.
Indeed, Kristian Vanderwaeren, Belgian customs official stated that 40% of the cocaine seized in Europe is found in Belgium.
Video: CmdtPoliciaEc Twitter
This seizure occurs while cocaine production in Latin America is at it's highest point ever, according to InSight Crime co-director Jeremy McDermott in a recent podcast.
Ecuador in particular is emerging as a key player in the cocaine market. In 2022, 201 tons of cocaine were seized in Ecuador, a 44% increase from 2021.
According to an article by France24, Ecuador does not actually produce coca, the crop used to make cocaine, but has emerged as a major drug player because of it's shared borders with Peru and Colombia, two major cocaine producing nations. Both of these nations saw increases in the production and siezures of cocaine last year.
Brookings Institution expert Vanda Felbab-Brown wrote that both the CJNG and Sinaloa Cartel are involved in Ecuador, forging alliances with local gangs to facilitate the transportation of cocaine through the country on the way to ocean routes.
Sources: @CmdtPoliciaEc Twitter, State Department Drug Report - INCSR 2020, Milenio, France24, Brookings - Vanda Felbab-Brown, Americas Quarterly Podcast, Politico.eu
some italians/colombians in europe are very mad right now
ReplyDeleteFor Reals Mijo?
DeleteShiver my Timbers.
only 17 million
DeleteThat’s a spicey meatball
DeleteGee willikers.
DeleteItalians are fine.. it’s likely some Albanians are pissed off however
Delete4:04 Albanians and Italians working together. Ndrangheta taught the Albanians how to move now they are treated like equal partners
Delete@5:03 — this is very true.. yep
DeleteAlbanians take care of the UK and Eastern EU, Balkans, while Italians (Calabrians)take care of most Western EU… and Australia
10:16 many cartels could learn from that
DeleteSol, good to see you deleted that story about alleged bribery in AZ. The whole article was based off one person’s comments at an election fraud hearing and had no evidence to support them. When even Wendy Rogers says allegations aren’t true, then you have really gone off the deep end.
ReplyDelete12:42:
DeleteI sent Sol and Hearst a couple of court decisions that said that Thaler attorney was delusional. The broad didn't mention that Thaler was her boyfriend and that's why she was spewing all of his bullshit.
The article was most certainly cartel related and I appreciate Sol bringing it to our attention. However, it should have been run with a disclaimer. If they do pick it back up, they should publish the court decisions as well in order to give the allegations context. In the end it was pure bullshit so it's probably best not to republish it.
Ok.Thats why it was deleted.Another GOP nonsense.
Deleteguayaqui is one of the biggest producers of blow both cds and cjng are connected down there its 2k for a key of pure coke
ReplyDeleteIf you combine the countries outside of Colombia producing coke, they outnumber them… and are continuing to pump out more snow than ever
DeleteColombia makes super shitty cocaine. Bolivian pink and Peruvian Yellow cocaine is much better than the white shiny coca from Colombia
DeleteDepends if you with CartelGolfo in Colombia
Medellin?
Lol I doubt Colombia as a whole makes shitty coke… they have been established for half a century now, with producing coke in the most ideal climate… High altitude + tropic weather … The alkaloids in the coca plants are most important with dense o2 and constant warmth + humidity
DeleteThis is why the mountains of Guerrero could potentially be worthy of making good cola.. Zacatecas MAYBE but all other high altitude mountainous terrain in MX are too far inland…
10:21 Colombia is high altitude? It’s not part of the Andes though. At least I don’t think.
DeleteAlso I’ve only heard of attempts to grow coca in southern Mexico not central.
@2:07 — “The country has a mean elevation of 18,950 feet (593 meters)”
DeleteBolivia btw has the highest altitude mountains in the world.. thus the infamous “Cocaine Coup”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest_large_cities
Check out this list and you’ll see why the listed countries are so infamous for producing coca..
Yellow cocaine smelling like vinegar is fire
Deletefunny how rival cartels often get supplied by the same shipment so this is probably cjng and cds and maybe some smaller cells
ReplyDeleteFe Fi fo thumb, I am the biggest supplier of the Absolute Mob.
DeleteFe Fi fo thumb me is absolute mob
DeleteFe Fi fo thumb all this coke GOTS me numb
DeleteNo its going to Europe Mexicans most probably not involved
Delete@3:32 bingo bango… Raffaele Imperiale, biggest coke broker outside the Calabrians, was getting most his stuff from Peru
DeleteEcuador was used because shipping containers got less scrutiny than when coming from Colombia. Same as Uruguay was used when Brazil got too hot. On to the next South American country I guess…
ReplyDeleteThe narcos today, all over the world, have the means to buy out the whole country!
Deleteecuador and costa rica are the biggest exporting coke rn colombia and peru still produce massive amounts but its harder to export from there
ReplyDeleteVenezuela gives a ton of coke to the Turkish mafia who are now supplying Eastern Europe and the petro states of the Middle East/Persian Gulf with coca now alongside heroin which they’ve been funneling into those same places for years.
DeleteThey ALL are involved with trafficking… but production still lies within a handful of countries
DeleteVenezuela beats most entities just mentioned
ReplyDeleteVenezuela is probably producing cocaine as well cheap gas.....
Delete4:13 You beat me to it
DeleteThat’s because the fucking gov is directly involved (Cartel del Soles)..
DeleteGoddamnit.. How many Ecuadorians did they just kill with this seizure and how many Friday and Saturday nights ruined.. I was supposed to see Cocaine Bear this next weekend. Guess I’ll have to take Adderall instead.
ReplyDeleteRIP 😢
ReplyDeleteThis is going to have repercussions. I still blame America
ReplyDeleteFor reals dude.
DeleteRaton snitched!
ReplyDeleteThe mexicans snitched
ReplyDeleteChoneros
ReplyDelete2 Gs / kilo in Columbia, 35 Gs in Europe.
ReplyDelete20k turn around of 350k I'm tempted even at 10k to 100k where and who do I sit down with
Delete