Border Issues: Mexico

According to Quiros, there has been some evidence that seem to indicate that the Sinaloa Cartel is planning to apply the same strategy that they have implemented in Latin America.

In statements made to Efe, Quiros confirmed that last August along in collaboration with the U.S. Federal Police in an operation, they were able to intercept a boat in which the four individuals on board were members from the clan of “El Chapo”.

“We think that this was just their first attempt to smuggle cocaine into Europe”, said the chief who also believes that the cartel is trying to enter into the European market, whose earnings are as lucrative as those of the social network Facebook.

He also said that due to the pressure that the cartel is having in Mexico and in the United States, it is foreseeable that “they would be trying to enter into the European market”.

He pointed out, that it seems as if they are trying to use the traditional method of transport of the drugs which is by sea.

As shown in the last attempt, the stash that was intercepted all the crew members were from Bulgarian origin.

“This does not mean that they have replaced nor surpassed the Galicians”, indicated Quiros. He suspects that in this operation, bales of cocaine were thrown in an area in a Caribbean zone, which then was picked up by a mother ship with crew members of Bulgaria.

Other Eastern European countries and even Africa are believed to have been involved in the transport of drugs through the European seas.

“In the last phase of the transportation of the drugs, the boats of the Galicians then take over the shipment and get it to its final destination either through the coast or the highways”.

According to calculations of UDYCO, the “drug transporters” keep between 8 to 12 % of the drugs as commission, and sometimes even up to 20% depending on the destination of the drugs either in Madrid, or the level of risk involved in the transportation.

“The Columbians are still partners with the Gallegos, and they know that there is a lot of pressure from Spain and Portugal because the transportation by sea was paralyzed for a while, but in the last operation that was intercepted, the South Americans were known”. Commented Quiros.