Drug Traffickers Shift from Containers to Fishing Boats to Ship Cocaine from Brazil to Europe
Key takeaways
- Criminal groups have reduced their use of containers at ports and begun investing in alternative maritime routes, using fishing vessels, sailboats and semi-submersibles.
- Federal Police data show the seizure of 15.6 tons of cocaine at Brazilian ports in 2025, a 76.6% drop from the peak of 66.8 tons recorded in 2019.
- In August last year, the French Navy seized six tons of cocaine from a Brazilian-flagged vessel in international waters off the coast of West Africa.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Criminal groups have reduced their use of containers at ports and begun investing in alternative maritime routes, using fishing vessels, sailboats and semi-submersibles.
Federal Police data show the seizure of 15.6 tons of cocaine at Brazilian ports in 2025, a 76.6% drop from the peak of 66.8 tons recorded in 2019. Investigators say the reduction does not necessarily indicate less trafficking, but rather an adaptation by criminal organizations.
In August last year, the French Navy seized six tons of cocaine from a Brazilian-flagged vessel in international waters off the coast of West Africa. In 2025 alone, seven joint operations with foreign authorities resulted in seizures on routes heading to Portugal and France.