evidence: Soon, we are trundling along a badly maintained road in his white pickup. It’s a short trip to the edge of the Maroni River, which forms a natural border between Suriname and French Guiana, an overseas department of France. On the Surinamese side is the town of Albina. Across the river sits Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. Codrington slows down as we turn onto a path running along the water. [...] Contraband smuggling on the Maroni River is nothing new, but cocaine trafficking into French Guiana has recently boomed. Overwhelmed, understaffed, and with corruption within their ranks, Surinamese authorities struggle to combat all kinds of illicit trade across what is possibly Europe’s weakest border. [...] Smugglers caught crossing the Maroni River typically face light punishments that do little to deter illicit commerce in Suriname. And recruits like the youths Codrington apprehended seem to cross frequently.