Warning Over Drugs in Agricultural Exports

Drug trafficking organizations send shipments to Europe in containers loaded mainly with agricultural products.

Monday, July 6, 2015

The Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (ASBC) is warning about activities practiced by criminal organizations, such as that in April 2014 when drug filled containers were seized in Europe, having come from Costa Rica. Exporting companies have had to pay more in order to implement controls and prevent filtration by criminal groups.

Alvaro Alpízar, president BASC Costa Rica, told Crhoy.com that "... 'Late last year, Dutch customs in the port of Rotterdam seized 3.5 tonnes of cocaine in a container of cassava coming from Costa Rica.'"

"...According to Alpizar, in Costa Rica employers are "not used to" working in such a dangerous environment and the main problem the organization has identified is the fact that many firms "underestimate" the risk based on a "false sense of security" and choose to ignore the environment until it is too late."

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