Home News and Resources News Loss Prevention 27 Mar, 2023 South and Central America – Drug Smuggling Dean Crossley Head of Loss Prevention Asia Drug smuggling from South and Central American countries has been a significant issue for several decades. The drug trade is a complex network of illegal activities involving narcotics production, transportation, and distribution. Despite the efforts of governments and international organisations to combat this illicit trade, drug cartels and criminal organisations continue to smuggle large quantities of drugs out of the continent. Drug smugglers often use the seas as one of their main means of transportation through the exploitation of commercial shipping. Download PDF Cocaine is the most popular drug smuggled from South America, and Colombia is the largest producer of cocaine in the world, accounting for approximately 60% of global production, as there is high demand for the drug in other parts of the world. The United States is the largest consumer of cocaine, with an estimated 5.5 million users. This high demand has created a massive market for drug traffickers, who are willing to risk their lives and the lives of others to supply the drug. South and Central American governments have implemented various measures to combat drug smuggling, including drug enforcement agencies, anti-drug laws, and drug education campaigns. These measures have had some success in reducing drug production and transportation, but drug trafficking remains a major problem in the region. As the trafficking of illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana has been a long-standing issue in this region, it poses a significant risk to ships trading to the continent. Furthermore, drug smuggling is a significant challenge for maritime security, as drug traffickers use various tactics to smuggle illegal drugs to and from countries. The methods used by drug traffickers include the use of fishing boats and commercial cargo ships to t