Drug Smuggling Surges On Amazon Waterways, Driving Brazil–U.S. Tensions

Brazilian authorities are seizing record amounts of cocaine moving through the Amazon as traffickers exploit expanding commercial river routes for oil and crop exports, according to Bloomberg.

In April, police chief Murilo Sampaio intercepted barges traveling from Peru’s Bretaña oil field, operated by PetroTal Corp. Drug-sniffing dogs detected a hidden compartment: “Everything was fine up until then,” Sampaio said. “But when the dogs came on board, they were able to identify a scent.” More than half a ton of cocaine was recovered and six crew members were arrested.

State data show cocaine seizures in Amazonas have roughly tripled in two years, reaching 15 tons in 2023. Security forces say that represents only a fraction of the narcotics moving east along the Solimões Route — the river network that delivers cocaine from Peru and Colombia to Brazil’s Atlantic ports and onward to Europe and Asia, as well as Brazil’s growing domestic market.

Increasing barge traffic tied to soy and oil exports has given traffickers more cover. Police say at least three major busts since mid-2023 involved barges carrying crude from the Bretaña field. PetroTal and energy trader Novum Energy say they enforce strict compliance and have “zero tolerance” for illegal activity, and authorities have not accused the companies of wrongdoing.

Bloomberg writes that gangs including the Red Command dominate much of the waterway and are expanding into remote communities, bringing violence, poaching and illegal land use. “We’re talking about hundreds of rivers,” said military police lieutenant João Maciel Rosa. “Only between 3% and 5% of the border lands… is policed.”

The surge is emerging as a diplomatic flashpoint. President Trump has made aggressive counternarcotics operations a centerpiece of his Latin America strategy, including military strikes on alleged drug boats and pressure on regional governments. Analysts say Brazil’s rising role in the cocaine trade could become leverage in other disputes, from tariffs to political disagreements. A State Department spokesperson said the U.S. is assisting Brazil “to more effectively detect and interdict these illicit activities along Brazil’s major waterways.”

As Brazil prepares to host the COP30 climate summit near the mouth of the Amazon, officials warn traffickers are embedding deeper into legitimate industries — from shipping and ports to ranching and mining. Expanded patrols and floating river bases have not stopped smugglers, who now use commercial barges, armed speedboats and semi-submersibles to avoid detection.

“It’s not tactically or operationally possible to win the war on drugs,” said analyst Andrés Preciado. “The evidence that we have after five decades is that the state doesn’t win.”