Latest news with #coca
Times
05-07-2025
- Times
On the front line of Colombia's cocaine war
In northern Colombia, two guerrilla groups are at war. They're fighting for control of one of the world's top coca-producing regions — and the billion-dollar cocaine industry that comes with it. Across the world, people are taking more cocaine than ever. Users from the UK to Europe and the US are estimated to consume up to six tonnes of the drug every day. Since January, more than 65,000 people in Colombia have been forced to flee their homes in the worst violence in the country for a decade. The Colombian army is trying to push the guerilla groups back. But they're stretched incredibly thin. We spent weeks travelling through the mountainous region in the country's north talking to coca farmers, displaced civilians, the army and the guerrilla groups themselves to try to understand how the cocaine industry works — and why it's brought Colombia back to war.
Al Arabiya
26-06-2025
- Al Arabiya
Global cocaine boom keeps setting new records: UN report
The global cocaine trade keeps setting new records, with cocaine the world's fastest-growing illicit drug market as Colombia production surges along with users in Europe and North and South America, a United Nations report published on Thursday said. The annual UN Office on Drugs and Crime's (UNODC) World Drug Report showed that in 2023, the latest year for which comprehensive data was available, the cocaine trade went from strength to strength. 'Production, seizures, and use of cocaine all hit new highs in 2023, making cocaine the world's fastest-growing illicit drug market,' the Vienna-based UNODC said in a statement. On the supply side, global estimated illegal production of cocaine rose by around a third to a record of more than 3,708 tons, mainly because of an increase in the area devoted to illicit coca bush cultivation in Colombia and updated data that showed the yield there was roughly 50% higher than in 2022. The estimated number of cocaine users globally also kept growing, reaching 25 million people in 2023, up from 17 million 10 years earlier, the UNODC said. 'North America, Western and Central Europe and South America continue to constitute the largest markets for cocaine, on the basis of the number of people who used drugs in the past year and on data derived from wastewater analysis,' it said. The synthetic drug market also continues to expand, helped by low operational costs and reduced risk of detection for those making or smuggling the drugs, the UNODC said. The leading drugs there were amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) like methamphetamine and amphetamine. 'Seizures of ATS reached a record high in 2023 and accounted for almost half of all global seizures of synthetic drugs, followed by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl,' the UNODC said.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Aiming a blow at narcos in Colombia
Farmers Alirio Caicedo and his son Nicolas are among the beneficiaries of the government scheme. A decade ago they planted an expanse of coca as they staked their future on the continued patronage of criminal gangs. Today, they are uprooting the crops and hoping for the best The Caicedos and some 4,000 other Colombian families have agreed to replace their coca with alternative crops such as cocoa and coffee amid a government scheme It is part of a $14.4m project to reduce supply of a product blamed for untold misery in a country where armed groups force rural communities to grow coca and raze forests for its cultivation The project seeks to eradicate coca production on 45,000 hectares in three of Colombia's most conflict-riddled regions, including the southwestern Micay Canyon where the Caicedos family ply their trade in the Argelia municipality For farmers it is a risk. They cannot be sure that their new plantations – coffee in the Caicedos' case – will succeed, or that guerrillas and other groups whose income depend on cocaine sales will leave them in peace 'When one is planting a coca plant, there is hope that in time there will be a harvest and there will be some income,' said Nicolas Caicedo. 'Uprooting the plants means that there will be no more harvests in other words, no more money,' from coca at least Alirio Caicedo and a sack of dried coffee beans. With coca, the Caicedos said they were guaranteed an income of about $800 a month. They have received an initial payment of about $300 under the project to grow coffee, with more to come But another farmer, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said he doubted the project could work in areas such as Argelia where illegal groups outnumber the state in terms of fighters and guns. 'No armed group that lives off [coca] is going to want a farmer to stop growing coca and switch to coffee,' he said Farmers Nicolas and Alirio show coffee beans and coca leaves at their plantation. Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first-ever leftist president, took office in 2022 with the goal of extricating his country from the US-led 'war on drugs' blamed for double-victimisation of rural Colombians already living under the yoke of violent criminal groups Cocaine production in Colombia – the world's biggest exporter of the drug – reached record levels as demand continues to grow in Europe and the US, the principal consumer Photograph: Juan Restrepo/AFP/Getty Images Several previous attempts to get Colombian coca producers to change crops have failed as armed groups caused havoc and government payments and other assistance eventually dried up Colombian soldiers and policemen stand guard in a street in Argelia Gloria Miranda, who heads Colombia's illegal crop substitution programme, cautioned that it would be naive to believe the new initiative could end drug trafficking 'as long as there is a market of 20 million consumers and it (cocaine) remains illegal' President Petro has sought to negotiate with armed groups, meaning fewer military operations and the abandonment of forced coca eradication, but talks have mostly broken down, and the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House in January has ramped up pressure on Bogóta Argelia's secretary of government, Pablo Daza, poses for a picture in Argelia, Cauca department. With high stakes for its crop replacement gamble, observers fear the government may be taken advantage of. Some farmers may 'try to deceive' by taking the money while continuing to grow coca, said Daza Coffee and coca leaf farmer Alirio Caicedo. Used not only for cocaine, the coca leaf is also chewed as a stimulant in Andean countries or brewed into a tea thought to combat altitude sickness Aerial view of Argelia. Colombia's appeals for the leaf to be removed from a UN list of harmful narcotics so it can be commercialised in alternative products such as fertilisers or beverages, have so far fallen on deaf ears Photograph: Juan Restrepo/AFP/Getty Images
The Independent
05-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Colombia reports 33% drop in deforestation in early 2025, with major progress in Amazon parks
Colombia saw a 33% drop in deforestation in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, the environment ministry said Thursday, citing stronger community coordination and a crackdown on environmental crime. Speaking at a press conference, Environment Minister Lena Estrada Añokazi said deforestation fell from 40,219 hectares in early 2024 to 27,000 hectares this year. The government identified 18 active deforestation hot spots, including 13 in the Amazon and others in regions like Catatumbo, Arauca and the Pacific north. 'In the Amazon's national parks, deforestation dropped by 54% ... which is a very good result,' Estrada said, highlighting gains in Amazonian parks Tinigua, Chiribiquete and La Macarena. The Amazon remains Colombia's most affected region, accounting for 69% of the country's deforestation. The departments — Colombia's main administrative divisions — of Meta, Caquetá and Guaviare saw the biggest declines, while Putumayo had a slight increase. Estrada attributed the decline to the government's integrated plan to curb deforestation, which includes community agreements, institutional strengthening, and joint operations with the Defense Ministry and Attorney General's Office. A recent report by Colombia's inspector general noted that while deforestation dropped overall, pressure on protected areas remains intense, with illegal coca cultivation and unregulated mining advancing into national parks. The independent watchdog said that between October 2024 and March 2025, nearly 88,900 hectares of forest were lost nationwide, much of it in areas designated for environmental conservation. The minister said the efforts have led to key arrests, including of individuals tied to the environmental sector. Looking ahead, Estrada outlined a territorial action plan to further engage local and Indigenous authorities. A series of regional meetings is set to begin in June, starting in Villavicencio with Amazon and Orinoquia leaders. Deforestation in Colombia is mostly driven by land grabbing, illegal road building, cattle ranching, illicit mining and coca cultivation, the raw ingredient to produce cocaine. — The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Washington Post
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Colombia reports 33% drop in deforestation in early 2025, with major progress in Amazon parks
BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia saw a 33% drop in deforestation in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year , the environment ministry said Thursday, citing stronger community coordination and a crackdown on environmental crime. Speaking at a press conference, Environment Minister Lena Estrada Añokazi said deforestation fell from 40,219 hectares in early 2024 to 27,000 hectares this year. The government identified 18 active deforestation hot spots , including 13 in the Amazon and others in regions like Catatumbo, Arauca and the Pacific north. 'In the Amazon's national parks, deforestation dropped by 54% ... which is a very good result,' Estrada said, highlighting gains in Amazonian parks Tinigua, Chiribiquete and La Macarena. The Amazon remains Colombia's most affected region, accounting for 69% of the country's deforestation. The departments — Colombia's main administrative divisions — of Meta, Caquetá and Guaviare saw the biggest declines, while Putumayo had a slight increase. Estrada attributed the decline to the government's integrated plan to curb deforestation, which includes community agreements, institutional strengthening, and joint operations with the Defense Ministry and Attorney General's Office. A recent report by Colombia's inspector general noted that while deforestation dropped overall, pressure on protected areas remains intense, with illegal coca cultivation and unregulated mining advancing into national parks. The independent watchdog said that between October 2024 and March 2025, nearly 88,900 hectares of forest were lost nationwide, much of it in areas designated for environmental conservation. The minister said the efforts have led to key arrests, including of individuals tied to the environmental sector. Looking ahead, Estrada outlined a territorial action plan to further engage local and Indigenous authorities. A series of regional meetings is set to begin in June, starting in Villavicencio with Amazon and Orinoquia leaders. Deforestation in Colombia is mostly driven by land grabbing, illegal road building, cattle ranching, illicit mining and coca cultivation, the raw ingredient to produce cocaine. — The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
