While the U.S. steps up efforts to dismantle drug cartels, Europe’s lax enforcement and strategic vulnerabilities may be undermining global progress.
The United States has taken a leading role in confronting the fentanyl crisis and broader drug trafficking challenges, according to foreign policy and national security scholar Ivan Sascha Sheehan. In a recent column published in Townhall, Sheehan asserts that America’s aggressive approach to the war on drugs stands in sharp contrast to what he describes as Europe’s passive, and at times obstructive, stance. The divergence in strategy, he warns, could have dire consequences for international security and public health.
A Divided Transatlantic Strategy
At the heart of Sheehan’s argument is a widening gap between the United States and its European allies in responding to the global narcotics trade. While the U.S. under successive administrations—especially Donald Trump’s—has implemented tough policies like tariffs on Mexico to pressure cooperation on narcotics enforcement, Europe has failed to match the urgency, particularly in addressing drug corridors originating in South America and funneled through European ports.
In his Townhall column, Sheehan highlights the Trump administration’s decision to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican imports as a pivotal moment in recent anti-drug efforts. This policy was introduced as a means to compel Mexico to do more to stop the flow of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids across its northern border.
By contrast, Sheehan argues that European authorities have allowed key trafficking networks to flourish, particularly by turning a blind eye to the growing influence of Albanian organized crime. According to his analysis, Albanian cartels have become dominant players in Europe’s cocaine trade, with deep-rooted ties in South America, especially Ecuador—a country that, while not a cocaine producer itself, has become a central export hub for the drug.
Ecuador: The Unwitting Bridge
Sheehan draws attention to Ecuador’s increasingly central role in the transatlantic drug trade. Roughly 70% of the world’s cocaine now moves through Ecuadorian ports, primarily Guayaquil. Most of the supply originates from neighboring Colombia and Peru. This flow of narcotics is coordinated by transnational cartels with European connections, particularly the Albanian mafia, whose members have embedded themselves in South American logistics networks.
The author notes that criminal syndicates exploit the lack of cohesive maritime enforcement and inconsistent customs checks to smuggle drugs in vast quantities. While the U.S. has invested in naval interdiction, intelligence sharing, and anti-corruption efforts in the Western Hemisphere, Sheehan says European stakeholders lag behind—both politically and operationally.
Port Security and Chinese Ownership
One of Sheehan’s most urgent concerns centers on European port security. He cites data and reports indicating that containerized shipping has become the preferred method for moving drugs into Europe—largely unchecked. Cocaine seizures at the continent’s three largest entry points—Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Hamburg—continue to break records year after year. In 2023 alone, Europol intercepted over 35 metric tonnes of cocaine at these ports.
Compounding this vulnerability is what Sheehan sees as the strategic mistake of allowing Chinese state-linked enterprises to acquire stakes in critical infrastructure. He lists port facilities in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, and the UK that are now partially controlled by Chinese companies. This raises not only geopolitical red flags, but also concerns about the ability of authorities to monitor or disrupt illicit trafficking that may be shielded under the guise of legitimate logistics.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s growing influence over European maritime access points is a silent but critical element in the drug trade’s success,” Sheehan writes. He warns that the intersection of organized crime, corrupt port authorities, and foreign ownership creates a toxic mix for law enforcement agencies trying to stem the flow of narcotics.
Corruption and the Albanian Factor
Albania features prominently in Sheehan’s column—not just as a source of cartel activity, but also as a cautionary tale about corruption. He cites recent allegations involving the Port of Durrës, Albania’s largest maritime facility, which was reportedly sold to a Croatian entity with opaque ties to local oligarchs. The transaction, Sheehan suggests, is emblematic of the lack of transparency and oversight that allows narco-traffickers to operate with impunity.
In his view, Europe’s reluctance to confront corruption in its southeastern periphery directly facilitates the entrenchment of drug routes. Albania, while a NATO member and candidate for EU accession, continues to be criticized for its inadequate judicial reforms and weak institutional safeguards—factors that criminal organizations have exploited to gain a foothold in the European market. Sheehan, takes reference into a the public X announcements of the Former Justice Minister of Albania, Gazment Bardhi, on how specifically the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku closes a blind eye and and fails to do proper due diligence and security background checks to these companies in the Port of Durres with Opaque ties to Latin America.
A Call for European Accountability
Sheehan does not absolve the United States of its own drug challenges, particularly the domestic demand that fuels international supply chains. However, he strongly advocates for a more balanced burden-sharing approach between Washington and Brussels. In his view, Europe must act decisively to curb its own drug consumption, harden its maritime borders, and implement robust anti-corruption measures in countries like Albania, Italy, and the Netherlands.
“The United States cannot wage this war alone,” Sheehan concludes. “If Europe continues to underperform, it risks becoming the weakest link in a global fight that demands transatlantic unity.”
Policy Implications
While Sheehan’s column is explicitly framed within a conservative American viewpoint, it raises broader questions about global cooperation and sovereignty in the face of organized crime. His critique aligns with mounting concern in international forums that current anti-narcotics strategies are fragmented and reactive rather than coordinated and preemptive.
Given the staggering human toll of the fentanyl crisis—over 100,000 overdose deaths annually in the U.S.—there is growing momentum for multilateral initiatives that combine law enforcement, public health, and economic diplomacy. In this context, Sheehan’s call for European engagement is not just ideological—it is a pragmatic reflection of a global emergency.
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