The Ecuadorean authorities confiscated a shipment of cocaine amounting to 582 kilograms hidden in 19 pieces of teak wood, which was on its way to Libya.
The “insight crime” organization, which specializes in the field of organized crime in Latin America, said in a report on Tuesday, that this shipment could have reached the ports of Misurata, Al-Khums, Benghazi or Tobruk had it not been discovered.
The organization added that this operation is not the first, as the Brazilian authorities confiscated 128 kilograms of cocaine bound for Libya last May, considering that Libya has become an unusual transit point for cocaine, and has a rapidly growing domestic market.
The organization explained that increased drug control in West Africa has led to smugglers relying more on sea routes through North Africa.
The organization indicated that the volume of shipments destined for Libya is a strong indication that their destination was Europe.
The organization pointed out that this operation uncover the attempt of smuggling networks in South America to establish shipping points in the countries of the Maghreb, especially Morocco; Because of its proximity to Spain.
