6 minute read
Drug trafficking
Ships are attractive to drug traffickers. Security is generally lighter than the airline industry and they travel the world. Smuggling by sea has been a problem for years, but, in recent years there have been some high-profile cases and evidence that the methods used are constantly evolving. Mark Smith, North P&I Club’s Loss Prevention Executive , explores this evolving challenge and ways to tackle this big problem.
Focus on loss prevention to crack drug smuggling
As ever, we seem to be playing catchup with the criminals. They have good reason to stay one step ahead and to keep innovating – there is big money involved. Conservative estimates suggest that currently the annual illicit drug market is worth over $400bn. Cocaine, for example, is cheaper to produce in Colombia per gram than coffee. It is essentially a low-cost, high-risk and potentially high-reward business model.
RECENT BUSTS Drug finds on vessels have hit the news in 2019. Recent cases include a ton of cocaine found in a shipping container that was loaded in South America and bound for Europe. It had estimated street value of $66m.
At least four bulk carriers have been detained in Mexican ports since June 2019 and drugs were found in cargo. This has had a huge impact on the crew of these implicated vessels. Upon finding concealed drugs, the Mexican authorities arrest the crew placing the responsibility squarely on them.
Masters and crew have been (and some remain) held in local high security prisons for long periods of time. Secondary to the plight of these innocent seafarers, there is of course the commercial impact on the vessel. When drugs are found on board, vessels have been detained in excess of six months.
ORGANISED CRIME A $400 billion industry clearly isn’t being run by amateurs. The high
The Marine Insurer | March 2020 profits from source to sale attracts major international criminal organisations and terrorists.
It is also safe to say that those at the top of the tree are not the ones transporting the illicit goods. So, who is?
If a vessel is being used to smuggle drugs, it is very plausible that the crew have no idea whatsoever that drugs are on board. In such cases, it is possible that port staff may be involved, such as a stevedore who has access to parts of the vessel and can move around without raising suspicion. Or smugglers can board the vessel (or attach drugs to the hull) from the seaside or at anchorage. There are numerous opportunities.
Crew are, however, vulnerable. Professional traffickers have been known to target crew, either by befriending them during shore leave or taking advantage of any money worries they might have or indeed a
drug addiction. Blackmail might also be a factor.
It makes sense for traffickers to target crew. They have specific access to suitable hiding places on board, for example tanks, enclosed spaces and storerooms. Machinery spaces are ideal for secreting illicit material. Even if the crew member is not the actual courier, they can facilitate the passage of drugs on and off the ship.
In some cases, a courier might not be aware of the presence of a ‘minder’, whose purpose is to ensure nothing prevents the courier from doing their job even if it means interrupting the operation of the ship.
PORTS AND PASSAGES Over 90% of goods are transported globally by sea and constantly changing trading patterns between emerging and developing countries create new ways of making profits through shifting illicit goods.
The huge number of ports and trade routes works to a trafficker’s advantage. As certain drug routes become known and therefore targeted by the authorities, the route can be switched, using indirect routes and ports with weaker enforcement, sometimes in a different country.
If you want to try and stop your vessel become a drug mule, it’s important to know what methods are being used. Some of the more common means of getting the drugs on board include:
l Concealment in bulk cargo: Packages are hidden within the stow of a bulk cargo, which could be a clean grain cargo or a dirty one such as coal or ore. Drugs have been found close to ladders within the hold; l Containers: Common methods include breaking into the container (and replacing the security seal afterwards) and secreting the drugs with the cargo within. Reefer containers are targeted because the technical space that houses the refrigeration
Mark Smith, North P&I Club
equipment can prove to be a handy hiding place; l Ro-Ro: Drugs can be hidden in the cargo of cars, freight vehicles, trailers or coaches; l Carry-on: Visitors or crew can simply walk on board and leave a package behind; l External: Drugs can be attached to ship’s hull. Typically, the rudder trunk and in some cases divers stash drugs on to the underwater area of the hull of a stationary vessel; and, l On the move: Speedboats are sometimes used to attach drugs to moving vessels.
RISK PREVENTION Trading in certain parts of the world will put a vessel and its crew at risk of being victims of drug trafficking. There is no silver bullet that will keep a determined trafficker at bay.
But, this doesn’t mean that nothing should be done about it. There are measures that can be taken to keep safe.
The measures employed by a shipowner and the crew depend on the risk. A voyage from certain South American countries to North America or Europe is clearly higher risk. However, there are plenty of other drug routes around the globe and this check should be part of a vessel’s voyage risk assessment.
This also depends on the level of port security. If it is lax, then the onus is on the ship to up their game. This requires close co-operation between the ship’s security officer and the port security officer so that an increase in vessel security can be arranged.
There are dozens of measures that can be taken, and full books have been written on the subject. We can’t look at them all here, but, some simple ones include the following.
A strong security presence on the gangway is paramount. A vessel that looks like it takes security seriously is a less attractive proposition to a smuggler.
Restricting access around the vessel and maintaining good lighting on deck are good effective measures. Locking doors that lead into the accommodation, storerooms and technical spaces takes away an easy opportunity to hide packages. If CCTV is fitted on your vessel then make sure it works and covers the right areas.
Monitor all around the vessel including the seaside for any suspicious behaviour or approaches. If a port has a history of smugglers attaching drugs to the propeller, turn the engine every so often.
Searching a vessel for small packages of drugs is a huge undertaking for a small number of crew. But high-risk easily accessible areas can be checked before sailing.
ONE-STEP AHEAD When the rewards are so high, it’s a given that traffickers will become more innovative and find new ways to use shipping for smuggling. For example, cyber attacks can cause disruption, particularly with cargo operations, and create new opportunities for bringing drugs on board. We must try hard to keep up.
