70% of drug seizures in Europe occur in ports. Half of these contain cocaine coming from South America via containers transported by ships. Airports such as Antwerp, Rotterdam and Hamburg have become logistics hubs for mafias such as the ‘Ndrangheta, but Gioia Tauro is also a “major entry point”, according to Europol. That’s why the EU has launched an initiative to target ports to combat drug trafficking and criminal infiltration.
This partnership, called the European Ports Alliance, brings together all the actors revolving around ports and national and transnational authorities fighting crime. The alliance was formed in Antwerp, Belgium, which has become a leading port for cocaine seizures. But it will affect the entire EU, from Spain to the Netherlands, from Germany to Italy.
The Commission writes: “Ports are key access points connecting Europe with the rest of the world. They create job opportunities for the EU and are key hubs for economic growth and prosperity: 74% of goods entering or leaving Europe by sea. Each “More than 90 million containers enter the 3 main EU ports (Antwerp, Hamburg and Rotterdam) every year”. Almost 70% of drug seizures at customs took place in EU ports and 500 tons of drugs were seized in 2022. More than 50 percent was cocaine.
Measures initiated by the Commission include €200 million to finance modern equipment that helps EU customs to scan containers and control imports more efficiently, by member states, the European Commission, Europol, Eurojust, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the European Multinational Against Criminal Threats. Disciplined Platform (EMPACT) and indeed public-private partnership that supports port authorities and shipping companies to protect logistics, information, personnel and operations in ports.
“Half of the murders in the EU are linked to drug trafficking and we can see that these criminal networks are infiltrating the clean economy, using corruption and therefore posing a huge threat to society. That’s why I think this is important. The whole of society must respond to these networks,” said European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. “It is important that criminal groups have access to ports and therefore corrupt people or threaten them and their families and commit great violence,” he said. With the alliance, it will be possible to see “how ports and companies operating in ports can be prevented. We can prevent all this.”
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
