Cocaine Seizures in Brazilian Ports Grow 50% in 2019, Says IRS

November 16: Cocaine seizures in Brazilian ports increased by 50% between January and October 2019, according to the IRS. There were 47.1 tons seized in the ten months. The total seized in 2018 was 31.5 tons.

Most of the drug was found in the ports of Santos (18.9 t), Paranaguá (13.5 t), Natal (4.4 t) and Itajaí (3.7 t). According to the Revenue, the main destinations were ports from Holland, France and Belgium.

Investigations point out that inside workers’ posts bribed by traffickers break the seals and hide cocaine in containers – unbeknownst to exporting companies.

Cocaine is placed in different types of cargo, such as coffee and chemicals.

For the IRS, the record in seizures has to do with the increase in cocaine production in the Andean countries – origin of the drug – and also with the training of agents who are prepared to identify shipments.

Most ports have x-ray devices that identify suspicious cargo still inside containers.

“All these details, how they are done, how they got it, how it got to this drug is passed on to the surveillance teams and also to the intelligence office,” said Gerson Faucz, the IRS delegate.

As enforcement tightens, gangs test new routes. The IRS seized cargoes of cocaine that were going to Portugal and Italy, countries that until now were not on the radar of surveillance.

“The police must always be adapted to the style of criminals and always seeking their identification as quickly as possible,” explains Luciano Flores, regional superintendent of the Federal Police (PF).

Source: G1 Paraná / Wilson Kirsche

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