• Map - Worldwide Heroin Movements
• Photo

Heroin moves from source zones to consuming markets by a variety of air, maritime, and land means.

• Maritime: Although maritime conveyances represent a small fraction of the heroin shipments seized, they remain the principal method of transporting large amounts of Southeast Asian heroin to consuming markets. The high volume of commercial maritime traffic provides a natural camouflage for heroin concealed in shipping containers, and multiple port transfers help obscure the origin of the illicit cargo.
• Land: Heavy foot and vehicle traffic at border crossings facilitates the smuggling of heroin between countries and regions. Traffickers conceal shipments within commercial and private vehicles, or hide the drug on or in their body as they walk across the border.
• Air: Trafficking groups use individual couriers — sometimes called “mules”—to smuggle small amounts of heroin—1 to 2 kilograms— on commercial air flights. The drug is hidden in personal belongings, hidden on their bodies, or ingested.