The seizures over the last two trafficking activities through the cocaine corridor years suggest that the volumes trafficked through enhances the understanding of the subregional cocaine West Africa exceed any in the region’s history.2 economy, of the interlinkages between the various hubs and actors in the illicit market, and it informs the cross- Traffickers import cocaine into West Africa throu. [...] Two sets of players have since the mid-2000s taken advantage of the conditions presented by the hubs of the coastal ecosystem: the Latin American traffickers, who connect cocaine production points to these transit points, and the regional criminal entrepreneurs who control much of the trade, and operate as intermediaries between the Latin Americans and local protection structures. [...] The third point in the triangle of key players behind the cocaine economy of the coastal ecosystem is the politico-military elite, who provide protection for the other two groups, ensuring the trade is not disrupted. [...] Believed to be behind the march 2019 operation, Bá was convicted by Bissauan courts of coordinating the operation leading to the September 2019 seizure.62 The regional links high- l ighted in the wake of the march 2019 seizure are shown in Figure 5.63 Additional arrests (and further investigations) following the two seizures revealed networks of individuals spanning four hubs in the coastal ecosys. [...] 39 The Casamance region has long been an area of contested 48 As has been tracked with the displacement of routes from sovereignty, including clashes between the former colonial the Sahel-Sahara towards the coast by the collapse of the powers of France and Portugal.
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- Published in
- Switzerland
