The Association of Banana Growers of Magdalena, La Guajira and Cesar (Asbama) has thanked the National Navy and the Anti-Narcotics Police for their work against drug trafficking and in favor of the protection of the main agricultural export product of the Colombian Caribbean.
Over the last two years, drug trafficking has caused substantial financial losses to the banana sector, affecting the competitiveness and reputation of Colombian fruit in international markets.
The efforts that the banana sector is making to tackle this problem have been supported by the Anti-Narcotics Police, and recently also by the National Navy. These entities are committed to helping the region by preventing narcotics from reaching international ports.
"Every year, the banana producers and marketers affiliated to Asbama invest close to 3,000 million pesos in security initiatives in order to prevent drugs from being shipped with the fruit. We also work jointly with the Anti-Narcotics Police and the National Navy; alliances that have led to important blows to criminal gangs seeking to introduce drugs in the containers carrying bananas," said José Francisco Zúñiga Cotes, executive president of Asbama.
It should be mentioned that drug trafficking threatens a sector that generates about 55,000 direct and indirect jobs in the northern part of the country. Such is the impact of this problem in terms of security and economic losses that in 2020, some of the banana producing and marketing companies stood as victims before the Attorney General's Office.
"We are again calling on the National Government to take this problem into consideration and help us boost security so that we can prevent and mitigate the impact of drug trafficking," said the president of Asbama.
It is important to recall that bananas are the most important product shipped through the Port of Santa Marta and the main export product of the departments of Magdalena and La Guajira. Their shipments reach important markets in Europe and Asia, making them a most coveted target for criminal gangs.
For more information:
Asbama
Tel.: +57 (5) 421 2907
informacion@asbama.com
www.asbama.com