CaliToday (09/11/2025): U.S. federal agencies are escalating a high-stakes maritime war against "parasite smuggling," as intelligence indicates South American cocaine cartels are shifting their focus directly to the United States market. This tactical pivot comes amid a dramatic and successful crackdown on fentanyl trafficking, largely attributed to a new offensive by the Mexican government.
The "parasite" method attaching large, waterproof drug containers to the underwater hulls of commercial vessels is now the high-tech tactic of choice for moving cocaine.
A recent case reported by The Times of London highlights the global scale of this threat: six Albanian divers were arrested in Norway attempting to retrieve 330 pounds of cocaine from the hull of the Nordloire, a ship that had arrived from Brazil. This incident is seen as clear proof of South American-based operations using parasitic tactics to infiltrate both European and North American ports.
The U.S. Becomes the Primary Target
While Europe is a lucrative market, security experts assert that the United States is a more attractive primary target. Its geographical proximity to South America the source of global cocaine production makes it ideal.
Cartels in Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil are increasingly directing their operations toward the U.S., exploiting the vast Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico shipping lanes.
A Strategic Victory: Fentanyl Seizures Plummet
This new cocaine offensive coincides with a major, documented shift in drug flows. According to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics (October 2024 – September 2025), total drug seizures reached 583,256 pounds, a slight increase from the 573,469 pounds seized the previous year. This total included 185,004 pounds of cannabis and 170,119 pounds of methamphetamine.
However, the most significant data point was a stunning 45% decrease in fentanyl seizures.
Seizures of the deadly opioid fell from 21,889 pounds in 2023/2024 to just 12,027 pounds in 2024/2025.
This victory is being directly linked to new policies south of the border. "The Mexican government has made a huge effort in the war against fentanyl trafficking," said Ilan Katz, a criminal lawyer based in Mexico City, back in August. "Arrests in Mexico are up, and seizures in the U.S. are down."
The "White Plague" Adapts
With the fentanyl pipeline constricted, cartels have reorganized around their traditional profit center: cocaine. Investigators note that the parasite method is tailor-made for cocaine, which is easier to package, more water-resistant than fentanyl, and highly profitable on long maritime routes.
This is not a low-level operation. South American cartels are employing:
Modern, sophisticated diving technology.
Industrial-grade, vacuum-sealed waterproof bags.
GPS trackers affixed to the "parasite" containers, allowing retrieval teams to track the shipment in real-time.
Experts at CBP and the U.S. Department of War identify this as a high-tech smuggling vector that requires significant capital investment, tight organization, and direct links to international criminal networks.
In response, the Trump administration has directed intensified cooperation between CBP, the U.S. Coast Guard, and allied nations in South America to sever this supply chain. Observers note the strategy is proving effective: the fentanyl crisis is being contained, and the system for interdicting cocaine is now expanding to protect the U.S. from a new "white plague" orchestrated by South American cartels.
CaliToday.Net