by Lloyd's List
24 January 2025 (Lloyd's List) - CUSTOMS seized almost 38,000 kg of cocaine in Dutch ports in 2024, 40% less than the 57,000 kg seized in 2023.
While the majority was seized at the Port of Rotterdam, the world’s 12th biggest port also saw the biggest decrease among Dutch ports, with 26,000 kg seized in 2024 compared to 45,000 kg in 2023.
But while the volume of cocaine seized almost halved, the number of shipments intercepted actually increased slightly, meaning smaller shipments were found more often.
Dutch customs called this “striking” and explained that criminals appeared to be spreading their risk by smuggling smaller quantities across more shipments.
The most common method of smuggling remains the so-called rip-off method, where smugglers will exploit a container of normal cargo to move the drugs through a port. Bananas have become a particular favourite of smugglers recently. The perishable cargo has been used as a mule in several high-profile busts, including Spain’s biggest-ever at Algeciras in November 2024.
Belgian customs published similar findings earlier this month. Authorities there seized just over 44,000 kg, a significant decrease on 2023, when 116,000 kg was found at the Port of Antwerp alone.
The ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges have upped their efforts to curb drug smuggling recently, including tightening up the procedures to release containers to drivers and screening port workers.
Though the amount seized has decreased, UN Office on Drugs and Crime regional coordinator for the container control programme Bob can den Berghe noted that Latin American countries had doubled their seizures bound for Antwerp. The most popular source countries remain Ecuador, Sierra Leone and the Dominican Republic, Belgian authorities said.
Both Belgium and the Netherlands have enhanced their cooperation with Latin American authorities. A customs treaty between Ecuador and the Netherlands has been signed, and customs attaches from both European countries were posted there, as well as Belgian attaches in Brazil and Panama.
While the data released by both customs authorities is encouraging and suggests their efforts are yielding some success, the problem may simply be shifting elsewhere to southern European and Scandinavian ports.
