Drug contamination in the movement of cargo units from Ecuadorian ports

Abstract

World trade has experienced exponential growth in recent decades, facilitating the exchange of goods and products around the world and promoting the development of consumer societies. In this article, we will explore in depth the problem in Ecuador of the use of containers for camouflage and drug trafficking worldwide (commonly called contamination) and we will analyze the negative effects on the actors involved (from individuals to institutions) with social consequences, legal, economic and security that this phenomenon entails for the affected countries and the international community as a whole. In this context, legal challenges persist, especially with regard to the identification and punishment of those responsible for introducing drugs into containers, as well as the prevention of corruption in ports. The ability of law enforcement agencies to detect and prevent drug trafficking in containers must continue to improve. The conclusion reveals that drug contamination in maritime containers leaving Ecuadorian ports continues to have harmful effects on society, the economy, and the country's prestige.