Escalating Drug Trafficking Linked to Ecuador’s Posorja Port
In a startling rise of drug trafficking activity, Ecuador’s Posorja port terminal has become a prominent exit point for cocaine shipments to Europe, leading to increased cartel violence in the region, reports 24brussels.
Since its opening in 2019, the $1.2 billion deep-water port in Guayas province has facilitated not just legitimate trade but also the illegal drug trade. According to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Europol identifies Posorja as a key gateway for narcotics destined for countries such as Spain, Germany, and Belgium, exacerbating the region’s challenges with organized crime.
Despite authorities’ efforts, including several high-profile raids, the flow of narcotics has remained unabated. Smugglers utilize various methods, such as hiding cocaine within shipments of fruit and flowers, as well as concealing it in fertilizer sacks and specialized compartments in refrigerated trucks. Notable seizures since March 2025 have included multiple tons of cocaine aimed at Hamburg, Antwerp, and the Iberian Peninsula.
The surge in drug trafficking has correlated with a sharp increase in violence. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime reports that homicide rates have soared to 45.7 per 100,000 inhabitants this year. Additionally, other criminal activities, including sexual violence, human trafficking, and money laundering, have intensified. Border areas like Esmeraldas, Carchi, and Sucumbíos have reported a proliferation of clandestine laboratories focused on cocaine production and packaging.
Local communities are feeling the consequences, with port workers, fishermen, and farmers in surrounding areas reportedly coerced by cartels into providing support through land, boats, and storage under the threat of violence.
Ownership of the Posorja port, which falls under the control of Nobis Holdings—a consortium linked to the Noboa family—has sparked controversy. This connection raises questions, especially considering the family name is also associated with Ecuador’s current president, Daniel Noboa.
Additional scrutiny surrounds Noboa Trading, the export business linked to the family, which has faced allegations of connection to cocaine smuggling hidden within banana shipments destined for Europe. Investigations have uncovered data suggesting that between 2020 and 2022, the company was linked to 700 kilograms of cocaine seized at Guayaquil’s Naportec port.
According to the UN, cocaine comprises 10.5% of the drug market in Ecuador, outranked by marijuana (17.6%) and opioids (21.2%), with this trend on the rise. This situation emphasizes the challenges faced by the Noboa administration in addressing organized crime effectively.
While the U.S. has threatened military action against Venezuela concerning drug trafficking, Ecuador increasingly serves as a crucial corridor for narcotics through various means, attracting transnational criminal organizations benefiting from American backing.