Fentanyl and criminal networks: the other threats to the Chancay megaport

ICAIE colleagues and senior advisors, Douglas Farah and Pablo Zeballos, interviewed for their pathfinding research on fentanyl and criminal networks: the other threats to the Chancay megaport as covered in the recent ICAIE Chancay (Peru) Report and extensive media coverage including this week in BioBioChile (see below).

The inauguration of the new megaport of Chancay (Peru) has raised concerns in the economic sectors of Chile and other countries in the region due to the high competitiveness that it will bring to port activity. But a study carried out by researchers Douglas Farah and Pablo Zeballos warned of other risks of the massive project that have not been included in the public discussion: those linked to security, such as the increase in synthetic drug components, the arrival of organized crime groups to Chilean ports and the facilitation of mobility for illicit economies through the new trans-Amazonian routes. The details of the study, and Farah’s analysis, are presented by the Research Unit of Radio Bío Bío.

A recent preliminary report (access below) published by the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies (ICAIE) and the team of researchers IBI Consultants LLC –whose authors are Douglas Farah and Pablo Zeballos– called attention to possible security risks in a port that “operates with numerous anomalies .” Among the elements that were highlighted are the possible proliferation in the area of ​​synthetic drug components from China and the arrival of organized crime groups to Chilean ports due to the reduction of security measures that could occur if costs were to be reduced.