Bovine Vessels Turned Drug Routes: Cartels’ “Cocaine Cows” Exposed
4, December 2025
Drug cartels are exploiting livestock ships loaded with sick or dead cattle to hide tons of cocaine, using grain silos and hidden compartments. The vessels head from South America to Europe via routes through the Middle East, leveraging the filthy, dangerous conditions to deter inspection. Only one such ship has been seized over 18 years — underscoring the challenge for law enforcement.
