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Peru Installs US-Donated Scanners at Chinese-Controlled Chancay Port to Combat Drug Trafficking
Peru inaugurated two high-energy X-ray scanners donated by the United States at the Chinese-controlled Port of Chancay to detect illicit goods and combat drug trafficking. The $8.5 million equipment donation represents US efforts to monitor cargo at a critical Pacific hub while maintaining security and trade efficiency at a facility operated by China's COSCO Shipping.
Quick Facts
Who
Peru government
What
Installation of two high-energy X-ray scanners
When
Monday (June 2026, based on publish date June 22, 2026)
Where
Port of Chancay, Peru
- Installation of two high-energy X-ray scanners
- Detection of illicit goods in shipping containers
- Training of Peruvian customs officials
- Port of Chancay inauguration
- Establishment of maritime trade routes
Peru inaugurated two high-energy X-ray scanners donated by the United States at the strategic Pacific port of Chancay, which is controlled by Chinese state enterprise COSCO Shipping. The scanners enable real-time detection of illicit goods in shipping containers without opening them, enhancing customs efficiency and supply chain security. US Ambassador to Peru Bernie Navarro attended the inauguration ceremony, where he wore a DEA cap, signaling the anti-narcotics focus of the initiative. The United States Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs provided the equipment, valued at over $8.5 million, and will train Peruvian officials to operate the scanners independently.
The donation underscores the United States' strategic interest in monitoring cargo at a facility that has become a major gateway for Chinese trade into Latin America. The Port of Chancay, which opened on November 14, 2024, is the deepest port in Latin America at 17.8 meters, enabling the world's largest cargo vessels to dock. It has been developed as COSCO Shipping's primary hub, with three main maritime routes and four feeder routes already operational to major Chinese ports and to Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and Panama.
Peru faces significant drug trafficking challenges as one of the world's leading cocaine producers and the second-largest coca leaf cultivator after Colombia. The government acknowledged an "exponential" rise in narcotics trafficking in 2023, with coca cultivation in the Amazon expanding dramatically from 42,900 hectares in 2014 to 89,755 hectares in 2024. The scanners are intended to prevent illicit shipments from transiting through the port while maintaining commercial fluidity and operational transparency.
China is Peru's primary trading partner for over a decade, with substantial investments in electricity, mining, and port infrastructure. The Chancay port represents a $1.3 billion investment and serves as a critical node in China's trade connectivity with South America. The scanner donation reflects a complex geopolitical situation in which the United States seeks to maintain influence over security operations at a port that strengthens China's regional economic dominance.
Why This Matters
This equipment donation reflects US efforts to combat drug trafficking at a critical Latin American trade hub while strategically maintaining influence over cargo security operations at a port that significantly enhances China's regional economic dominance. For readers, this signals the complex balance between security cooperation and geopolitical competition in infrastructure that directly impacts drug supply chains affecting global markets, particularly North America.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2014
WireCoca cultivation in Peru measured at 42,900 hectares
Jan 1, 2023
WirePeru's government acknowledged exponential increase in drug trafficking before Parliament
Jan 1, 2024
WireCoca cultivation in Peru reached 89,755 hectares in the Amazon
Nov 14, 2024
WirePort of Chancay officially inaugurated by President Xi Jinping of China
Nov 15, 2024
WireUnited States announced donation of $8.5 million in X-ray scanners to Peru for Port of Chancay
Jun 19, 2026
WireChinese Ambassador Song Yang held ceremony at Port of Chancay announcing operational maritime routes
Jun 22, 2026
WirePeru inaugurates US-donated X-ray scanners at Port of Chancay with US Ambassador Bernie Navarro present