The geography of global drug trafficking has traced a new and dangerous line on the map: the ‘Highway 10.’ According to a revealing investigation by Le Monde, Senegal has become the logistical epicenter for Balkan mafias, who have found in the port of Dakar the perfect platform to introduce cocaine into Europe. This route, which follows the 10th northern parallel, directly connects production centers in Latin America with European capitals, utilizing the African coast as a transshipment dock that allows for ‘laundering’ the source of the merchandise. The institutional weakness and porous infrastructures in Senegal provide organizations such as the ‘Ndrangheta and the Brazilian PCC a safe haven to coordinate, from the shadows, a billion-dollar business that already moves a third of the drugs arriving in the Old Continent. The success of this operation lies in the sophisticated coordination of Albanian and Montenegrin clans in Senegalese territory. Far from acting noisily, these field coordinators maintain a low profile but constant vigilance on the political and police pulse of the country. Intercepted messages via the encrypted network Sky ECC have revealed the confidence with which traffickers operate: ‘Brother, over there in Senegal we have good connections.’ This phrase summarizes a reality of systemic corruption where criminal networks manage to infiltrate port authorities to ensure their containers of cement, cocoa, or fruit—loaded with tons of drugs—navigate without complications. The strategic advantage of Senegal for the Balkan mafia is both logistical and reputational. In destination ports such as Antwerp, Valencia, or Marseille, a container sailing from Dakar raises much fewer suspicions than one coming from Santos or Cartagena de Indias. This ‘cleaning’ of origin, coupled with the fact that only 2% of cargo is inspected in West Africa, has turned the region into a black hole for international control. Previous investigations, such as the seizure of a ton of cocaine in Antwerp linked to the Montenegrin Cavac clan, demonstrate that the Balkans have displaced other intermediaries, taking full control of the supply chain. Le Monde’s report warns that this is only the beginning of an irreversible trend. With cocaine production at historic highs in Latin America and tightening controls on direct Atlantic routes, West Africa is destined to become the main gateway to Europe.
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