Thread: US says cocaine routes shifting from US to Europe

Published Monday | April 28, 2008
US says cocaine routes shifting from US to Europe
By DESMOND BUTLER Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10321971

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States believes that South American cocaine traffickers are diverting shipments away from the United States to Europe, a top U.S. drug official said Monday.

White House drug policy director John Walters said he believes traffickers have been pushed toward Europe because of stricter control by Colombia and Mexico over routes to the United States.

U.S. and European officials are seeing larger amounts of cocaine being routed through Venezuela to West Africa and on to Europe, he said.

Though it is hard to quantify the volume of cocaine that hits the market, most cocaine seized in the Western hemisphere on its way to Europe and Africa last year came from Venezuela, according to U.S. government figures. In 2000, most seizures came from Colombia.

The European Union found an increase in cocaine use in a survey last year of citizens aged 15 to 34 in 12 European countries. Walters said evidence including surveys and results from employee mandated drug testing indicates that U.S. cocaine use has fallen recently.

The recent strengthening of the euro against the U.S. dollar may have contributed to the rerouting, by making the European market more profitable for traffickers.

But Walters blames much of the shift on Venezuela, which the United States considers an adversary. As Colombia and Mexico have cracked down on trafficking, the United States says it has seen evidence that Venezuela has become a haven for traffickers in recent years. Walters cited U.S. monitoring of cocaine shipments out of government-controlled airstrips in Venezuela.

"I think it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that there is some government collusion," Walters said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Venezuela is not a country without resources, they can cut this off, if the will is there."

Walters has made that allegation before and provoked a strong reaction earlier this year from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who called the charge politically motivated. The Bush administration considers Colombian President Alvaro Uribe a close ally, while it rarely misses an opportunity to criticize Chavez.

Uribe has worked closely with the United States to control drug shipments and reduce coca production. Since taking office in late 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent thousands of soldiers into states throughout Mexico to combat drug gangs battling for territory and for control over corrupt local police forces.

Adam Isacson, an analyst on Latin America for the Washington-based Center for International Policy, said there is evidence that Calderon's crackdown has thrown traffickers off balance, and an increasing amount of cocaine is leaving South America toward West Africa.

"It's clear that Venezuela is not doing much to control the territories used by traffickers," Isacson said. "From airstrips, it's not too far to fly directly to West Africa."

Walters said that the United States would like to see greater cooperation with Venezuela in controlling the drug trade. But given the poor relations, he said that he has been encouraging European officials to find ways of working with Caracas.

"We do not have a good working relationship with Venezuela," he said. "Hopefully the Europeans can make some progress."

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