Inside the Ghost Fleet: How Drug Cartels Buy Old Ships

Drug trafficking organizations have developed a sophisticated method for moving narcotics across international waters: purchasing decommissioned ships at auction for prices significantly below market value. These vessels, often nearing the end of their operational lives, are acquired for as little as €175,100—far cheaper than building or leasing new vessels.

The strategy exploits a gap in maritime regulation where aging ships are sold publicly before being scrapped, allowing traffickers to acquire legitimate maritime assets with clean histories. Once purchased, these vessels are repurposed to transport massive quantities of illegal substances across oceans, effectively creating a "ghost fleet" that operates in the shadows of legitimate shipping.

The vessel known as the United S represents a textbook example of this trafficking method. In 2013, customs authorities intercepted the ship when it operated under a different name and flew the flag of Sierra Leone. The interception revealed the vessel's potential for moving large cargo volumes, though its specific contents at that time were not disclosed in public records.

Two years after the 2013 seizure, the same vessel appeared in a public auction where it was sold for €175,100. The buyer was identified as Abdul Karim Kartich, who acquired the ship despite its documented history with customs authorities. This transaction demonstrates how vessels with previous law enforcement encounters can re-enter circulation through legitimate auction processes.

The United S had previously been used to transport 10 tons of cocaine and 18 tons of hashish during its operational history. These staggering quantities highlight why aging ships represent such valuable assets for trafficking networks—their large cargo capacity allows for moving industrial-scale drug shipments in single voyages.

The financial model behind this trafficking method is remarkably straightforward. Decommissioned ships are sold at auction for prices that represent a fraction of their original construction costs. For trafficking organizations, this represents an exceptional return on investment when considering the street value of the narcotics they can transport.

Customs authorities have documented multiple instances where vessels purchased through these channels were used to move multi-ton quantities of drugs. The United S case alone involved 28 tons of combined narcotics—enough to supply entire regional markets. The low acquisition cost means that even if a vessel is eventually seized, the financial loss is minimal compared to the potential profits.

These transactions occur through public auction processes, giving traffickers access to legitimate maritime assets without raising immediate red flags. The ships often have proper documentation and registration, making them appear as ordinary commercial vessels during routine inspections.

International maritime law creates significant challenges for preventing this type of trafficking. Once a vessel is sold through a public auction, its ownership history becomes difficult to track, especially when the buyer uses legitimate business entities. The flag of convenience system, where ships register under countries with lax regulations, further complicates enforcement efforts.

Customs authorities face the difficult task of monitoring thousands of vessels operating in international waters. The ghost fleet problem is compounded by the sheer volume of legitimate shipping traffic, making it nearly impossible to inspect every vessel that might be carrying illicit cargo.

International cooperation through organizations like the United Nations has attempted to address these gaps, but the decentralized nature of maritime commerce continues to provide opportunities for exploitation. Traffickers exploit jurisdictional boundaries, moving vessels between regions where enforcement capabilities vary significantly.

The quantities involved in these trafficking operations are staggering. The United S was documented carrying 10 tons of cocaine and 18 tons of hashish in separate incidents. These amounts represent industrial-scale drug production, suggesting the involvement of sophisticated trafficking networks with significant financial backing.

Each successful shipment represents millions of dollars in street value, making the €175,100 investment in the vessel itself a minor operational expense. The profitability of this model explains why trafficking organizations continue to pursue this strategy despite the risks of interception.

The geographic scope of these operations spans international waters, requiring coordination across multiple jurisdictions. Vessels like the United S can travel thousands of miles, making detection and interdiction increasingly difficult as they move through areas with limited surveillance capabilities.

The ghost fleet phenomenon represents a persistent challenge for international law enforcement. As long as aging vessels can be purchased cheaply through public auctions, trafficking organizations will continue exploiting this method to move narcotics across international waters.

Addressing this issue will require enhanced international cooperation and improved tracking of vessel ownership changes. Customs authorities must develop better screening processes for auctioned ships while balancing legitimate maritime commerce with security concerns.

The case of the United S demonstrates how a single vessel can move 28 tons of drugs across oceans, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing maritime law enforcement worldwide.