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Latin America is home to 20 countries with some of the longest and hardest-to-patrol borders in the world. Many span thousands of kilometres across remote rainforests, vast rivers, and conflict zones. Enforcing controls and eradicating smuggling activities at the borders is immensely difficult for all governments across the continent.
Criminal networks have been notoriously effective at taking advantage of this, smuggling illicit goods across these borders while evading customs controls. This means billions of dollars going into the pockets of criminals while governments lose much needed revenues that should be going to underfunded public services.
To understand what is causing Latin America’s issue with contraband and what can be done to stop it, STOP: ILLEGAL brought together two of the world’s leading experts on illegal trade. Alejo Campos, Director of Crime Stoppers Caribbean, Bermuda, and Latin America, sat down with Werner Ovalle, Head of Guatemala Customs and vice-Chair for the World Customs Organization, to discuss the issue.
Watch the full video below:
Click the links below to watch the rest of the series:
- First Part: “Collaborating Against Illicit Trade in Latin America,” featuring an interview with PMI's Alain Vermaut.
- Second Part: Featuring an interview with anti-illicit trade expert David Luna
- Third Part: Featuring an interview with Crime Stoppers' Alejo Campos
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