It is impossible to say with certainty how much the profits of the international drug trafficking of Brazilian organized crime are, but there are those who go so far as to estimate them at over 240 billion euros a year. Profits so high that the Primeiro commanded by capital has decided to suspend the monthly tax of 150 euros to the family members of prisoners, mandatory since the 90s to support the out-of-pocket expenses of the organization, such as the buses that take the families of prisoners from Sao Paulo to the prisons of the west of the state.
This is what the eighth episode of “NarCovid – Rivers of money for drug kings at the time of the pandemic”, now only available on Apple Podcast . This episode is also full of facts, stories, reconstructions and original rumors that, in this article, are only hinted at.
Sao Paulo, the economic engine of Brazil
With only 3% of the national territory and over 40 million inhabitants, São Paulo produces about a third of the national gross domestic product and exceeds – always considered individually – the production of important Latin American countries combined, such as Argentina and Chile. It houses the largest industrial and commercial complexes, as well as being the financial and consumer center of South America, which legitimizes its status as the “economic engine” of Brazil.
The Italians – who flocked since the end of the 18th century – have contributed like no one to development and today 38% of the population is of Italian origin. About 90% of the state’s industrial park is located less than 200 km from the port of Santos where, at the beginning of the twentieth century, Italians loaded huge sacks of coffee on their way to the world. Since then, the port of Santos has gained a prominent place in the country’s economy and has become the largest port in the southern hemisphere, the second largest in Latin America after that of Colón in Panama and closed 2021 with a record handling of 4.8 million tons.
Santos, world drug crossroads
But among tons of soy, coffee, sugar, meat, fertilizers and various goods loaded and unloaded every day up and down thousands of containers it is easy – for organized crime – to ship impressive quantities of drugs, to the point that today, the port of Santos is considered by some analysts to be the center of the world trade in cocaine. Perhaps an exaggeration but the facts tell a reality very close to this narrative.