Bangladesh, Jan. 29 -- Cocaine trafficking into Europe has entered a new and increasingly complex phase, as criminal networks adapt rapidly to tighter security at the continents largest ports. According to a recent report by Europol, the European Unions law enforcement agency, cocaine flows into the EU have reached “unprecedented levels,” driven by record production in Latin America and resilient consumer demand across Europe. Rather than slowing the trade, intensified controls at major hubs such as Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Hamburg appear to be reshaping it-pushing traffickers toward smaller ports, unconventional maritime routes, and sophisticated technologies that challenge traditional detection methods.

For decades, Europes ...