Cocaine Smuggling to Europe Shifts to the High Seas

Lisbon - 02.08.2026: Cocaine smuggling to Europe is increasingly shifting to sea routes away from major commercial ports. A report published by Franceinfo on Sunday describes how criminal networks make greater use of coastal regions in southern Europe during the summer. Portugal is considered an important gateway because shipments from Latin America can be landed on remote beaches or in small marinas.Europol had already warned in January 2026 of an expansion in maritime smuggling methods. According to the European police agency, the networks rely on ship-to-ship transfers on the high ...