Global cocaine production has reached an all-time high of 3,708 metric tons of pure cocaine, driven largely by record levels of coca cultivation in Colombia, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2023. The surge underscores the growing complexity of global drug markets and their links to environmental crime, insecurity, and public health crises, the agency warned.
The report highlights that Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, accounting for 253,000 hectares of coca leaf cultivation in 2023 – or 67% of the world’s total. Having increased from 204,000 hectares from the previous year, the new global total of area allocated for coca stands at 376,000 hectares.
Colombia’s estimated cocaine output also rose to 2,600 tons in 2023 amid rising international demand and increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks. “Cocaine production is expanding beyond its traditional confines, both in supply and demand,” claims UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly. “This growth is fueling violence, criminal activity, and environmental degradation, particularly in the Amazon Basin.”
Cocaine is now the most-used stimulant in the Americas, but ranks fourth most consumed drug worldwide, with an estimated 22 to 25 million users in 2021. Cannabis leads with 219 million users globally, followed by opioids and amphetamine-type stimulants. While consumption remains concentrated in the Americas, Western Europe, and Australia, the fastest growth in demand is occurring in developing regions including parts of Africa, Asia, and Southeast Europe.
Cocaine seizures also hit a record 2,275 tons in 2023, a 68% increase over the previous four years, suggesting authorities are intercepting more supply. However, trafficking networks continue to adapt rapidly, exploiting new maritime routes, weak law enforcement, and widespread corruption.
Amazon Basin Under Threat
A special chapter in the UNODC report focuses on the Amazon Basin, where drug trafficking is increasingly intertwined with environmental crimes. In Colombia, large areas of forest are being cleared for coca cultivation, illegal mining, and cattle ranching with links to organized crime organizations, among them FARC dissidents and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla.
Between 2021 and 2022, cumulative deforestation in the Colombian Amazon was concentrated in the departments of Caquetá (735,000 hectares), Meta (656,000), Guaviare (371,000), and Putumayo (236,000). Much of this forest loss is linked to a surge in illicit economies, including the drug trade.
Criminal groups operating in Colombia and neighboring countries are increasingly financing and protecting illegal gold mining operations, often in protected Indigenous territories. These operations rely heavily on river dredging and unregulated machinery, leading to mercury contamination and long-term ecological damage.
“Organized crime is leveraging both legal and illegal supply chains,” the report stated.”Cocaine trafficking is converging with illegal mining, logging, and land grabbing, putting enormous pressure on Indigenous communities and ecosystems.”
According to the UNODC indigenous peoples and rural populations in Colombia’s Amazon region are among the most affected. Many face forced displacement, health issues from mercury poisoning, and rising violence from armed groups.
The report notes that vulnerable communities – particularly unemployed youth and low-income families – are being pulled into illicit economies. Roles include coca cultivation, gold dredging, illegal logging, and trafficking in wildlife. In some cases, women and girls are coerced into forced sexual labor. “Lack of economic alternatives is pushing entire communities into the orbit of criminal networks,” the UN agency warned.
The report also highlights significant financial flows linked to Colombia’s drug economy. Illicit inward flows related to drug trafficking are estimated at between US$1.2 billion and $2.6 billion annually. Outward flows, often associated with money laundering, are estimated at $227 million.
Traffickers are increasingly exploiting legal commercial routes to conceal narcotics. Vessels legally transporting timber or minerals are often used to smuggle cocaine to international markets. The blending of legal and illegal commerce poses growing challenges for law enforcement and customs agencies.
Synthetic Drugs on the Rise
While cocaine remains a major concern, UNODC emphasized the growing threat of synthetic drugs – particularly amphetamine-type stimulants and synthetic opioids. In 2023, seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants reached a global record, representing nearly half of all synthetic drug seizures.
Synthetic opioids, including the emerging and highly potent class known as nitazenes, are rapidly gaining ground in several markets. Their low production cost and high toxicity have made them a leading cause of drug-related deaths in the United States.
Globally, an estimated 316 million people aged 15–64 used drugs in the past year – an increase of 23% since 2011 that outpaces global population growth. “We are witnessing a dangerous surge in both supply and demand, inflamed by conflict, poverty, and instability,” the report said.
UNODC called for a comprehensive and balanced response to drug control, emphasizing prevention, treatment, and sustainable development. In Colombia and other parts of Latin America, efforts to curb coca cultivation have struggled to offer viable legal alternatives to rural communities. “Without addressing the root causes – such as insecurity, lack of opportunity, and weak institutions – drug markets will continue to grow,” the agency concluded.
