Cocaine Seizures Expose Flaws at Guatemala, Honduras Ports

Written by Alex Papadovassilakis

The discovery of large amounts of cocaine in cargo shipped from Honduran and Guatemalan ports has revealed the difficulties in securing maritime shipping operations on the northern stretch of Central America’s Caribbean coast.

Customs officials at the port of Le Havre in northern France found 1.4 tons of cocaine hidden inside a shipping container transporting coffee, according to a statement released by French authorities on May 19.

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Source: insightcrime.org

Ecuadorian shrimp farmers battling surge in organized crime

Shrimp farm in Ecuador, via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWTBXd6yfdw video by Manoj M Sharma

Extortion gangs targeting shrimp producers for the return of stolen shrimp, feed, boats and engines.

By John Evans

Ecuador’s shrimp producers are stepping up calls for authorities to protect them from a spike in organized crime that cost around $60 million (€54.4 million) in 2019 alone.

Producers reported more than 150 criminal actions against their property in 2019, including assault, robbery of shrimp, feed, supplies, equipment, boats and their engines.

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Source: intrafish.com

‘Dark ship’ detection exposes sanction-busting ships

The use of synthetic aperture radar technology means ships can be detected even if they turn off Automatic Identification System transponders. Satellites can see through clouds to detect vessels using microwave pulses

Michelle Wiese Bockmann

VESSELS failing to comply with international sanctions will not be able to avoid being tracked in real time as technology used to detect illegal fishing is fully adapted for commercial shipping.

Iran’s fleet of 36 very large crude carriers and eight suezmax tankers have finessed and expanded the so-called practice of ‘going dark’ by establishing complicated logistics chains to avoid detection and thus disguise the origin and destination of oil cargoes.

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Source: lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com

‘Piracy’ kidnappings probed for criminal links

Julien Neaves

MINISTER OF National Security Stuart Young says recent incidents of reported on-sea piracy and kidnappings of locals were being investigated for possible criminal links.

He was responding to a question in the House of Representatives on Friday. He was asked whether the Coast Guard has sufficient resources to treat with increased incidents of piracy in TT’s territorial waters.

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Source: newsday.co.tt

Nigeria: Navy Tackles Rising Cases of Illegal Fishing, to Acquire Dedicated Vessels

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

Given the astronomical rise of cases of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing in Nigeria’s maritime domain, the Nigerian Navy (NN), yesterday said it has concluded plans with the Federal Department of Fisheries for the acquisition of dedicated vessels to contain the menace.

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who was represented by the Naval Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Beegroy Ibe-Enwo, made this disclosure in Lagos at the ongoing three-day Senior Leadership Symposium.

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Source: allafrica.com

Limon: The New Gateway Port For Cocaine Leaving Costa Rica

By Carol Vaughn

Limon has long had a reputation as a remote Costa Rican port handling exports of of pineapples, bananas, sugar, coffee, and … cocaine.

While the nearby Port of Moin has undergone a complete expansion and renovation recently, including brand new scanning technology, Limon has been left behind — but not by astute drug smugglers.

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Source: news.co.cr