Garcia warned that these criminal groups are constantly advancing because they have very strong economic resources and power.

It is a threat that feeds on various crimes, obviously drug trafficking, economic power and corruption, he said.

The minister of Defense added that organized crime also feeds on money laundering and uses these illegal funds to finance its activities, including terrorism, ‘which is financed by drug trafficking.’

He praised his country’s participation in Operation Hummingbird, a program financed by the European Union to evaluate aviation flight controls in the face of illicit trafficking.

It consists of the coordinated work of the Air Force, the Ministry of the Interior and the National Customs Directorate to intercept and dismantle organizations involved in drug trafficking.

The World Customs Organization coordinated a recent exercise with the participation of European and African countries, including Uruguay.

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