This Friday a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) came to light, which points to Chile as a relevant point in the transit of drugs. In this context, the document also points to the port of San Antonio as an important focus on drug trafficking routes, which has made maritime transport one of its frequent routes for this illegal activity on a global scale.
Once the report was known, from Puerto San Antonio it was explained that in its condition “we connect the maritime routes of Central America and other South American countries with North America, Europe and Asia, which means that ships that have shipped cargo in other ports transit through here. From our port, these shipping lines then begin their journey to the large markets, a transit that is often used by criminal groups to try to hide drug shipments in containers,” said Carlos Mondaca, the port’s public affairs manager. state.
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“This condition as the main axis of international trade in Chile means that Customs and the police have a special and intense focus of activity in San Antonio to control illegal activities such as drug trafficking. In other words, there are usually more operations, and therefore more seizures, than in other ports, which contributes to generating the feeling that this is a nerve center for international cartels,” added the executive.
According to Mondaca, “although this is an issue that is beyond the exclusive management of the port and its operators, it is a matter of high importance and that has aroused a relevant area of our work, both in coordination with Customs and the police officers, as well as at the level of the Public Services Coordination Committee (COP), an instance in which -for example- the upcoming acquisition of a modern scanner truck is being promoted to reinforce control”.
Along these lines, he added, “we have also established work channels with the PDI, through Briderpo; with the Ministry of the Interior, through the Undersecretary for Crime Prevention; with the local authority, at the level of the provincial delegation and with the Ministry of the Interior”.
“As the country’s main port, we want to convey to public opinion that this is an issue that worries us, but that has also motivated intense work by the relevant authorities, the port itself and various other actors that are part of the fight against drug trafficking, to increase controls and thus support the strategy that from the central level seeks for Chile to continue advancing in its national security”, closed the public affairs manager of the port.
