A series of large-scale drug seizures at clandestine laboratories in a Venezuelan border state suggest the ELN and ex-FARC mafia are expanding cocaine processing in a region that was once used only as a trafficking route from Colombia. Venezuela’s armed forces seized 8.6 tons of cocaine at two makeshift processing laboratories in Jesús María Semprún, a municipality in the western state of Zulia, and another 650 kilograms at two nearby sites, the Venezuelan military announced February 9. Just a week earlier, authorities seized 350 kilograms of cocaine base and 600 kilograms of the chemical precursor urea at another clandestine lab in Zulia. Full Text -> InSightCrime

The “adoption” of Colombian criminal groups, such as the guerrillas of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – FARC) and the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN), as allies of the government of then-President Hugo Chávez, aggravated the situation.These alliances have worked out well for the government, particularly due to Venezuela’s widespread economic crisis leading to authorities desperately being in need of foreign currency. The dollarization of the Venezuelan economy was only a further catalyst. “Any officer in strategic territories for drug trafficking has assured earnings in foreign currency,” McDermott said. During its fieldwork, InSight Crime was able to confirm that coca plantations exist along the Venezuelan border in areas that match Colombia’s climate and topography. Full Text -> InSightCrime

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Por su parte, el codirector de InSight Crime inició su presentación explicando que Venezuela no es más un “país de tránsito”, y que la “adopción” de grupos criminales colombianos como las guerrillas de las extintas Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) y el Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) como aliados por parte del gobierno del entonces presidente Hugo Chávez, agravó la situación. A esto se suma la amplia crisis económica durante el gobierno del actual presidente Nicolás Maduro, que busca obtener desesperadamente divisas de la dolarización de la moneda. “Cualquier oficial en territorios estratégicos para el narcotráfico tiene ganancias aseguradas en moneda extranjera”, señaló McDermott. Texto Completo-> InSightCrime