Supply chain management applied to criminal agriculture: A case study of cocaine seizures in Brazil

Abstract

Transnational criminal organizations such as those that operate in international drug trafficking function as multinationals, which is why it is possible to observe clear fundamentals of business management in their operations. Among them, those observing Supply Chain Management and Operations, common to legal business on a global scale, stand out. In this study, based on observations of 21 (twenty-one) large seizures of cocaine carried out by Brazilian security forces between 2017 and 2023, the application of such concepts is evident. The analyzed sample, select due to its homogeneous profile, contains import standards such as the size of the bales, the packaging technique, the type of textile fiber used in the bale packaging, the sewing
pattern of the bales, the means of transport, the dynamics of logistic integration between the different stages of the supply chain. The complexity of the crime in question and the dynamics of supply chain management is a preponderant factor for its efficiency, maintenance of scale and mitigation of costs associated with losses resulting from seizures. It is also crucial for assessing the level of difficulty faced by security forces in combating international drug trafficking: the dependence on defense infrastructure, technology and intelligence is clear for defense, homeland security and police activities to be successful.