Netherlands, Ecuador sign customs deal to fight drug trafficking

State Secretary Aukje de Vries of Finance and Ecuadorian Vice Minister Carlos Larrea of Foreign Affairs signed a customs treaty in Quito to help fight drug trafficking. The treaty allows the two countries’ customs services to exchange information and assist each other in things like training and advice.

As countries through which many goods are transported, the Netherlands and Ecuador are both vulnerable to undermining crime, State Secretary De Vries said when announcing the deal. “In the Netherlands, a journalist and lawyer have been killed, attacks happen in residential areas, and criminals make the countryside unsafe with their drug labs. In Ecuador, a presidential candidate has been murdered, shootings occur, and people suffer from gang violence.”

According to the Dutch customs authorities, more and more drugs are coming to the Netherlands from South America. Like the Netherlands, Ecuador is mainly used as a transit country for cocaine from other countries. “Both countries are committed to putting a stop to drug trafficking. This treaty is an important step in that direction,” De Vries said.

The customs treaty ensures that the two countries’ customs authorities can exchange information about new methods drug smugglers use with each other. For example, Dutch customs notice that drugs are often placed in a container with the cargo just before departure. Sharing that information with Ecuador means their customs know when to check containers for hidden drugs.

The parliaments in the Netherlands and Ecuador must still approve the treaty before it can take effect. The Netherlands already has similar customs treaties with 38 other countries.