The United Nations’ 2023 Global Report on Cocaine details the changing global patterns in the drug trade and emphasises that there has been an overall increase in the global cocaine supply. Increased coca leaf production and new more efficient chemical processes to convert coca leaves into cocaine hydrochloride, have resulted in a massive increase in the global cocaine supply.
The data also shows that the use of “crack” cocaine is on an upward trend in several Western European countries, with Belgium, France and Spain recording larger numbers of crack users entering the public health system.
Thankfully, law enforcement interceptions of cocaine have increased to a record high of nearly 350 tons in 2021 according to page 12 of the UN Global Cocaine Report 2023, which states, “Interceptions by law enforcement have also been on the rise, at a higher speed than production, meaning that interdiction has contained the growth of the global amount of cocaine available for consumption.” Perhaps the recent seizure of 168 kilos of cocaine locally valued at $200 million may be part of the global trend of increased interdiction. T&T’s partnership with Interpol and US and UK Law Enforcement may have resulted in the global trend of increased interdiction also applying to our law enforcement’s fight against cocaine trafficking.
Cocaine traffickers use a wide variety of methods to breach national borders illegally. Shipping containers for fruit sent from South America are one method. The world cocaine report 2023 also recognises sailing vessels, speed boats, fishing vessels, submarines and underwater drones, and the so-called “Parasite modality,” whereby drug traffickers attach an underwater sack of cocaine to a large cargo ship for later retrieval at the target destination.
Since 2019, researchers have found that Africa is becoming a new transit hub for cocaine from South America: “Seizure data suggest that the role of Africa, especially West and Central Africa, as a transit zone for cocaine on its way to markets in Europe has picked up substantially since 2019. Both the total quantity seized in Africa and the number of large seizures appear to have reached record levels during 2021.”
Researching global trends in cocaine trafficking may also give insights into how the gangs in T&T operate. Many small gangs may be operating as service providers for larger transnational drug cartels that control the supply of cocaine leaving South America.
“Small to medium-sized criminal groups are playing an increasingly key role in global cocaine trafficking. They function like networks rather than well-delineated organisations. These groups manage only parts of the supply chain and form partnerships with other organisations.
These are “service providers” who manage parts of the supply chain without ever owning the drug. They often collect the cocaine from the port, provide local transportation, and protect the shipments. These service providers will generally guarantee delivery of the cocaine in return for a fee. These groups range from motorcycle gangs in Belgium to well-connected organised crime groups in Guatemala. Experts believe the practice is widespread throughout South and Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Some service providers are so successful that they have been able to gain political protection and set up as independent traffickers.”
This model of small to medium size criminal groups seems to be the situation in T&T at present. Based on media reports and my own conversations with people in “hotspot” communities, local drug lords seem to be dependent on Venezuelan gangs to import both large quantities of marijuana and cocaine for the local market.
The key to decreasing the crime rate in T&T may be to understand and disrupt the connections between local gang leaders and their foreign partners. For these complex transnational crimes to take place, money will have to be paid either through wire transfers that are laundered through fake businesses, or through other means such as shipments of gold or cryptocurrency transfers which can be monitored with blockchain technology.
Financial investigations into cross-border financial transactions that may be linked to suspicious entities may help identify the local gang leaders responsible for cocaine trafficking in T&T.
The Ministry of National Security’s SSA has the hardware to tap phones and conduct sophisticated surveillance of potential risks to national security. A well-run investigation into the major drug lords in T&T with ties to Venezuelan gangs or Mexican cartels could lead to major arrests that help bring gang violence and crime under control.
A partnership with the United States would be critical in any investigative effort, as the TTPS and Ministry of National Security may need foreign experts to flag suspicious SWIFT transactions or cryptocurrency payments from flagged entities to accounts located in T&T.
A much greater effort needs to be placed on research and intelligence to understand the drug trade in T&T in order to reduce the crime rate. Sun Tzu’s Art of War states, “If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” It seems T&T is succumbing to crime due to a lack of knowledge on the part of our leadership.