In his book Illicit (2005), Moises Naím argued that migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons was linked to the global drug trade and other well-organized transnational criminal networks. By exploiting the world's vast reserves of potential migrants, drug traffickers align with migrant smugglers and force their "clients" to carry small, valuable packages of narcotics. This flexible approach allows traffickers to move large quantities of goods without all the risk of losing them to anti-drug law enforcement efforts. By using this approach, several "small packages" quickly become a large shipment, and when the cargo is cocaine or heroine its resale value is infinitely greater than the fees paid to the laborers that carried the packages.
Listen to Moises Naím discuss his book Illicit on National Public Radio.
Given the recent large-scale seizures of cocaine in Spain, United States, Ireland, Peru, Colombia and elsewhere, could it be that traffickers are shifting away from sending the "small packages" Naím describes and towards the shipment of much larger cargos? Or are they simply willing to accept the obvious risks associated with this approach? If so, does this also mean that they possess vast reserves of "inventory" and are therefore willing to gamble with a few tons of cocaine here and there? This question comes to mind given the recent large drug busts. For instance:
- Peruvian police reported Sunday that they have confiscated 193 kg of cocaine in an anti-drug operation in the southern province of Ica. The cocaine packed in 180 small bags, worth over $1 million, was found on an empty bus on Friday. The driver was arrested on the spot, said the police.
- Dublin police report that cocaine worth an estimated 1.5 million euro has been seized by police.The raid was part of a series of investigations under Operation Thaw tackling distribution and supply of drugs in Coolock and Darndale. Searches at premises in Grove Lane, Coolock, took place. A gun magazine and ammunition, equipment for mixing cocaine, including a weighing scale and a substantial quantity of mixing agent, were also recovered.
- U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than 400 pounds of cocaine from a pickup truck on the banks of the Rio Grande. Agency officials estimate the street value of the drugs at more than $15 million, according to a news release from the U.S. Border Patrol. Authorities searched the truck and found the bulk of cocaine. No arrests were made in connection with the seizure. The seizure marks one of several made in recent months. From Oct. 1, 2007 to New Year’s Eve, agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector seized 1,473.75 pounds of cocaine, which has an estimated street value of more than $47 million, agency officials said.
- In early January, Colombian cocaine smugglers scuttled a U.S.-bound homemade submarine off the country's Pacific coast. It was the second time in a month that Colombian forces stopped an underwater craft which was then sunk by its crew members to destroy their incriminating cargo. In both cases, the smugglers quickly opened the hatches to sink the vessels before they could be boarded by authorities. Both submarines had the capacity to ship 10 to 12 tons of cocaine to the United States.
- In December, a South African court jailed two British men for 30 years for trafficking in cocaine and cannabis worth some 23 million US dollars, the SAPA news agency reported. The men had tried to have the drugs shipped from the nearby eastern city of Durban to Britain, the report said. The 150 kilograms of cocaine worth $21.3 million US dollars was intercepted in a container near Durban while the 8.1 tonne haul of cannabis, worth $1.6 million US was seized by the authorities in Britain at the port of Felixstowe.
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