In February 2022, the Argentine National Gendarmerie intercepted two trucks carrying a total of over 4 tons of marijuana concealed within illegal timber shipments. The first seizure occurred near Nueve de Julio, Buenos Aires province, where a truck was found carrying more than 3 tons of marijuana hidden among wooden beams. The second seizure took place near Puerto Avellaneda, Misiones province. Upon noticing the presence of uniformed personnel, the driver abandoned the vehicle, which was found to contain 1,002 kilograms of cannabis sativa concealed in a timber shipment.
Source: https://dialogo-americas.com/articles/argentine-gendarmerie-seizes-drugs-hidden-in-timber-shipments/
Keywords: Latin America, Argentina, timber, trade and transport, drug trafficking, smuggling
An investigation by Argentine TV show Periodismo Para Todos (PPT) revealed significant smuggling of soy from Argentina to Paraguay. This illicit trade exploits the same cross-border blindspots that are used for drug trafficking. Smugglers transport soy into Paraguay to circumvent Argentina’s hefty 30% export tariffs. The soy are transported via the Paraná River, where Paraguayan boats either collect soy loads from Argentine boats or dock at clandestine ports to await truck deliveries. Once in Paraguay, the soy are recorded as Paraguayan produce and exported. This contraband trade has been fuelled by rising production costs in Argentina and falling global soy prices, making smuggling a more profitable option for many farmers. The impact of this illicit trade is evident in industry statistics. Between 2011 and 2015, while Argentina’s soy production increased by 8%, exports fell by 6%. In contrast, Paraguay saw a 10% rise in production but a dramatic 62% increase in exports, indicating the scale of the contraband operation.
Source: https://insightcrime.org/news/brief/argentina-paraguay-smugglers-use-drug-routes-for-contraband-soybeans/
Keywords: Latin America, Argentina, soy, trade and transport, tax evasion, smuggling