Colombia: Caribbean Routes Revive as Cocaine Flows Shift Towards European Markets

The report examines the resurgence of the Colombian Caribbean as a strategic corridor for cocaine trafficking towards European markets. It explores how criminal networks are adapting established trafficking routes in response to changing market demand, increased border controls and evolving regional security conditions.

Drawing on interviews, fieldwork and secondary data, the research traces cocaine flows from production areas in Colombia through maritime, land and air routes, highlighting the growing importance of Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and the Lesser Antilles as transit points.

The findings identify maritime trafficking as the principal transportation method and highlight the role of organised criminal networks, territorial control and vulnerabilities in port security. The report also examines how economic marginalisation and limited state presence contribute to the involvement of local communities in illicit economies.

It calls for stronger regional cooperation, improved maritime security and coordinated responses that combine law enforcement with institutional strengthening and socioeconomic development.