Maritime security against illicit drug trafficking: A systematic review of the literatura

Illegal Drug Trafficking (IDT) poses a threat to maritime security and destabilises states. In Colombia, this threat is imminent and affects the country by positioning it as one of the major drug producers. However, scientific research on maritime security and IDT in Colombia is limited. This article applied literature review techniques, combining bibliometric and systematic analyses. Using the PRISMA methodology, searches were conducted in the Scopus, Web of Science (WOS), and Scielo databases, as well as in national official sources. The purpose was to identify the methodological aspects and conceptual elements that make up the global maritime security agenda related to IDT. Out of the 936 identified documents, 45 were selected that met the established criteria. The main findings suggest that maritime security encompasses multiple domains, dimensions, characteristics, and practices in order to combat maritime threats, and a conceptual framework is proposed. The methodological characteristics found are discussed, and their application in future research in Colombia is suggested.