INTENSIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN EUROPEAN PORTS

Intensified law enforcement in Northern European ports appears to be making an impact, with Dutch authorities reporting a decline in cocaine seizures at the port of Rotterdam.

In 2024, authorities confiscated 26 tonnes of cocaine, valued at €917 million ($954 million), down from 45.5 tonnes in 2023. This marks the third consecutive annual decrease. Similarly, Belgium's customs agency reported seizing 44 tonnes last year—significantly lower than the record 116 tonnes in 2023, marking the first decline since 2013.

However, officials caution that traffickers may not be reducing activity but instead shifting their smuggling routes. Dutch Customs noted a rise in drug seizures at Vlissingen, south of Rotterdam, increasing from 11.3 tonnes to 12.6 tonnes in the past year.

Mariette Bode, chief public prosecutor for the Zeeland-West-Brabant region, highlighted a shift in smuggling tactics. Large single drug hauls are increasingly being replaced by smaller quantities spread across multiple containers—an 'eggs in many baskets' approach.

"There has been a significant increase in smaller amounts of illegal drugs passing through Rotterdam," Bode told AFP. "One reason could be that criminals are now spreading the risk."

The value of drug seizures is often calculated using 'street prices,' estimating total worth based on typical gram and ounce sales. However, this can differ significantly from the wholesale value, which more accurately reflects traffickers' actual earnings.

Last year, several cocaine shipments concealed in banana crates were discovered by grocery store employees across Europe, having passed through North European ports.

To enhance security, Rotterdam is phasing out its pin-based container retrieval system in favor of Secure Chain, a digital passport system restricting access to authorized hauliers, barge operators, and rail carriers. Initially rolled out for shipments from Latin America, the system has since expanded to North America, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Pakistan. By September 2024, approximately 500,000 containers had been processed via Secure Chain.

Despite these measures, authorities remain concerned about 'extractors'—individuals who breach port security to steal smuggled shipments directly from containers. In 2024, Rotterdam police arrested 266 extractors, including 59 minors, according to Bode.