On 8 January, Europol published an analytical report focusing on the diversification of maritime cocaine trafficking methods used by organised criminal networks to exploit commercial shipping and port environments. The report outlines how traffickers continuously adapt their modi operandi to circumvent controls and infiltrate legitimate logistics flows, making use of complex routing, containerised transport and insider facilitation.
The analysis highlights that criminal groups increasingly combine sophisticated logistics planning with corruption, document fraud and flexible operational tactics to reduce detection risks. These developments reinforce the need for intelligence-led controls, targeted risk analysis and effective information sharing between law enforcement authorities and port stakeholders, while avoiding blanket measures that could disrupt the efficiency of port operations and legitimate trade.
For terminal operators, Europol’s findings underline that port security is no longer a peripheral issue but a structural component of operational resilience and supply chain integrity. FEPORT has consistently stressed that effective action against organised crime in ports depends on close cooperation between public authorities and private operators, a clear allocation of responsibilities and risk-based approaches that preserve the efficiency of legitimate trade. As criminal networks increasingly exploit complex logistics environments, strengthening cooperation with EU agencies such as Europol, alongside adequate public support for security-related investments in ports and terminals, remains essential to ensure both security and competitiveness.
