The illegal drug trade in Aruba involves trans-shipment of cocaine and other drugs through Aruba to the United States. Background Corruption in Aruba is so widespread that Claire Sterling, widely acclaimed for her works on drugs and crime, said of it: "The world's first independent mafia state emerged in 1993." The Italian daily Corriere della Sera described Aruba as "the first state to be bought by the bosses Cosa Nostra." Between 1988 and 1992 the Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan was said to have acquired 60% of Aruba through investments in hotels, casinos and the election-campaign of a Prime Minister. As a result of the public outcry, Aruba's independence from the Netherlands, planned for 1996, was cancelled. Decline While drug trafficking through Aruba used to be a major issue, it is much less so today. Aruba was removed from the US State Department’s list of major drug producing and transit countries in 1999. The reason for this decline is unclear. Case Study See also Designer drug Drug liberalization Drug policy of the Netherlands Legality of cannabis by country Minors and the legality of cannabis References Aruba Drugs in Aruba Aruba Aruba