Economist Podcasts Cocaine and able: drug runners innovate
120 snips
Oct 22, 2025 
Kinley Salmon, a Latin America correspondent for The Economist, discusses the booming cocaine trade and how traffickers have evolved into innovative, specialized networks. He reveals new smuggling techniques like narco-subs and chemical masking, while advocating for smarter policing over military strikes. Meanwhile, Don Weinland, China business editor, unpacks the unsettling Liu Zhi detentions of executives, citing political motives and rising anti-corruption campaigns. They also touch on the audacious Louvre heist and the challenges of recovering stolen treasures.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Narco-Submarines Challenge Maritime Controls
- Criminals build low-profile narco-submarines capable of transoceanic crossings and multi-ton loads.
- Fully submersible vessels now threaten traditional maritime interdiction methods.
Chinese Launderers And Crypto Multiply Risks
- Money-laundering is outsourced to specialist Chinese groups that move cash faster and cheaply using stablecoins.
- Cryptocurrencies create fresh enforcement headaches because they cross borders with few checks.
Focus On Intelligence, Not Bombing Boats
- Authorities should prioritise intelligence-led police investigations over brute-force strikes to dismantle networks.
- Legalising cocaine in rich countries would cut the price premium that fuels violence and corruption.