Criminal behavior of drug trafficking at sea and drug commercialization

Authors

  • Cedrid Gómez Torregrosa Armada de Colombia

Keywords:

Maritime Control, Drug Trafficking, State

Abstract

The trafficking of illicit substances worldwide takes place through various means of transportation. The drug trafficking scourge is a hemispheric issue that affects all states, particularly those with overseas coastlines, considering that the vast majority of narcotics are transported by sea. In this regard, all countries should develop legal alternatives and strategies to counter this problem from a geopolitical perspective, given that the maritime domain presents a series of general characteristics that make it particularly vulnerable to the expansion of drug trafficking. The extensive territorial fragmentation and the lack of control over certain territories and maritime areas have provided Transnational Criminal Organizations with considerable room for maneuver in carrying out their illicit activities. This article analyzes several perspectives on the importance of controlling maritime lines of communication, as well as the implementation of strategies and cooperation mechanisms aimed at maintaining control of the maritime domain and preventing the departure of illicit substances.

Author Biography

Cedrid Gómez Torregrosa, Armada de Colombia

Colombian Navy officer specializing in security, defense, and maritime strategy. He holds a Master of Science in Hemispheric Defense and Security and has extensive experience in operations focused on countering drug trafficking and strengthening regional maritime security. He has served as a Permanent Advisor to the Orion Naval Campaign, a multinational initiative that promotes international cooperation and coordination to address threats associated with maritime drug trafficking. His professional and academic career has focused on the strategic analysis of transnational organized crime, maritime security, and cooperation among institutions and States.

References

Bagley, B. (2011, 31 de enero). El “efecto globo” o por qué se está perdiendo la “guerra contra las drogas”. Razón Pública. https://razonpublica.com/el-efecto-globo-o-por-que-se-esta-perdiendo-la-guerra-contra-las-drogas/

Becker, G. S., Murphy, K. M., & Grossman, M. (2006). The market for illegal goods: The case of drugs. Journal of Political Economy, 114(1), 38–60. https://doi.org/10.1086/498918

Centro Internacional de Investigación y Análisis Contra el Narcotráfico Marítimo. (2022). Análisis de la dinámica del narcotráfico marítimo [Presentación de PowerPoint].

Costa, G. (2012). Seguridad ciudadana y delincuencia organizada transnacional en las Américas: Situación y desafíos en el ámbito interamericano. SUR: Revista Internacional de Derechos Humanos, 9(16), 133–158. https://sur.conectas.org/es/tag/delincuencia-organizada-transnacional/

Dye, T. R. (2013). Understanding public policy (14th ed.). Pearson. https://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/preface/0/1/2/3/0123013416/preface/0/1/3/4/0134169972.pdf

El Tiempo. (2021). Lo que todavía mueve el narcotráfico en la economía colombiana. Portafolio. https://www.portafolio.co/economia/lo-que-mueve-el-narcotrafico-en-la-colombiana-518709

Felbab-Brown, V. (2009). Shooting up: Counterinsurgency and the war on terror. Brookings Institution Press. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/shootingup_chapter.pdf

Felbab-Brown, V. (2011). Las economías ilegales y el contrabando en Colombia: Los señores de las moscas. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/es/opinions/las-economias-ilegales-y-el-contrabando-en-colombia-los-senores-de-las-moscas/

Lindblom, C. E. (1986). Who needs social science for policy making? Science Communication, 7(4), 345–366. https://doi.org/10.1177/107554708600700401

Lowenthal, M. M. (2017). Intelligence: From secrets to policy. CQ Press.

Nuestramericanos. (2009, 13 de mayo). Geopolítica de Mahan. Centro Cultural de la Cooperación. https://www.centrocultural.coop/blogs/nuestramericanos/2017/07/08/geopolitica-de-mahan

Organización de los Estados Americanos. (2013). El problema de las drogas en las Américas: Drogas, delitos y violencia (Cap. 8). https://www.oas.org/docs/publications/LayoutPubgAGDrogas-ESP-29-9.pdf

Presidencia de la República de Colombia. (s. f.). La lucha contra el problema de las drogas, compromiso de Colombia. Recuperado el 12 de agosto de 2021, de http://especiales.presidencia.gov.co/Documents/20160627-solucion-problema-drogas/solucion-drogas.html

Reyes Salarichs, M. (2020, 4 de marzo). Economía ilícita: Análisis de las bases teóricas que explican la economía ilícita [Presentación de PowerPoint].

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2019). 2019 ministerial declaration: Strengthening our actions at the national, regional and international levels to accelerate the implementation of our joint commitments to address and counter the world drug problem. https://www.unodc.org/documents/hlr/19-06702_S_ebook.pdf

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2022). World drug report 2022. United Nations.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2014). Panorama de la región Andina. https://www.unodc.org/colombia/es/press/2014/junio/panorama-region-andina.html

Published

08/28/2026

How to Cite

Gómez Torregrosa, C. (2026). Criminal behavior of drug trafficking at sea and drug commercialization. DERROTERO, 2(16). Retrieved from https://revistasescuelanaval.com/derrotero/article/view/204

Issue

Section

Articles

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 3 > >>