Bangladesh, July 3 -- Organized crime networks have increasingly turned Europes major seaports into lucrative hubs for drug trafficking, exploiting vulnerabilities in port security and raising serious concerns about corruption within port authorities, customs, and law enforcement agencies. According to a new joint report by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), over 1,800 tonnes of illicit drugs were seized from 2019 to mid-2024 in shipments linked to European Union ports, signaling an unprecedented scale of smuggling activities.

The EUs ports are strategic gateways not only for legitimate trade but also for the transit of enormous quantities of narcotics. The report highlights that 68 percent o...