Argentina, an attractive destination for drug traffickers: cartels, synthetic drugs and porous borders
Organised crime expert Alejandro Cassaglia warns that all Mexican cartels operate in Argentina, taking advantage of lax laws and vulnerable borders.
Cassaglia: "All the cartels are in Argentina and the border with Chile is the point of least resistance"
On 16 September, the Federal Police seized 52 kilograms of maximum purity MDMA at the Zárate terminal, hidden in various parts of a vehicle, following an alert from the DEA. As part of that investigation, the name "Buen Rostro" emerged, a Mexican individual linked to the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG). According to tn.com.ar, the case led to a broader analysis of the penetration of international drug trafficking in the country.
Alejandro Cassaglia, a specialist in terrorism and organised crime, was forthright: "All the cartels are in Argentina", present in the national territory since 2000, when they began establishing alliances with local organisations.
Geostrategic position and lax laws, a risky combination
Cassaglia pointed out that "Argentina is very well positioned for drug traffickers" from a geostrategic point of view, functioning as an entry point for chemical precursors. He recalled the case of ephedrine in Zárate as a direct precedent for that illegal trafficking route.
The expert listed three factors that made the country an attractive destination for criminal organisations: lax laws, disinvestment in border security and corruption. "Drug traffickers tend to seek ports further south, with wide and porous borders, because it is impossible to control all points", he explained.
Synthetic drugs, the most profitable business
"In Argentina we always wake up late", Cassaglia remarked when referring to the processing of the Zárate operation, and emphasised that the country is only beginning to analyse the phenomenon of synthetic drugs. According to the specialist, it is precisely synthetic and semi-synthetic substances that generate the greatest economic return for the cartels, since—unlike cocaine—they do not require protecting large plantations or maintaining armed structures for their production.
Regarding cocaine, Cassaglia clarified that Argentina plays a triple role: "It is a country of consumption, transit and production". The proximity to coca leaf-producing countries also explains, in turn, the low consumption of heroin in the region.
Business logic and alternative routes
When referring to "Buen Rostro", the expert clarified that cartels are not merely structures of violence: "Behind them are minds that do not know or see each other". These organisations evaluate routes, costs and opportunities with business logic, "like any good company, they are looking for alternatives", he said.
This flexibility is reflected in the handling of routes. When drug entry into Europe became more difficult, the cartels developed an alternative corridor through Africa. Cassaglia specified that this direct connection between Buenos Aires and the African continent had already been detected before the 2010 World Cup. "Drug traffickers saw it first", he remarked.
On the current state of the borders, the specialist was direct: "To cover the border you need a lot of logistics", in reference to disinvestment over recent years. The point of greatest vulnerability, according to Cassaglia, is clear: "The border with Chile is the point of least resistance".
Source: Google News AR — Crime