The Global Report on Cocaine developed under CRIMJUST and presented during the CND in March 2023 provides an invaluable source of information on the global cocaine market, including trends in trafficking routes and modalities, criminal actors, cocaine production, related products and its relation to other drugs. On 19 April 2023, CRIMJUST provided a tailored presentation of the Global Report on Cocaine to the “Red de Fiscales Antidroga de AIAMP”, a network of Iberoamerican Prosecutors created in 2014.
Mrs. Chloe Carpentrier, Chief of the Drug Research Section at UNODC, provided an overview of the global aspects of the report. She highlighted that over 20 representatives from different countries and international organisations were interviewed with data collected from source, transit, and destination countries. Mrs. Carpentier went over the main findings. Cocaine supply has swelled, and demand seems to be responding accordingly but in a more gradual slope. Europe has become a prime destination for cocaine with certain regions of western Europe developing new consumption practices such as crack cocaine. Data on the criminal groups involved in this market has demonstrated intense competition amongst them as well as an increase in service providers as a means of limiting exposure and risk. New routes and hubs have been detected, particularly the southern cone route from Peru or Bolivia, onto Paraguay and out through Argentina or Uruguay. With the development of these new routes and the high supply within source countries, the potential for a substantial growth of the market seems highly likely, especially if it expanded into previously untouched regions such as Africa and Asia.
Mr. Antoine Vella, Research officer within the UNODC’s Drug Research Section, elaborated on two specific findings: the cocaine market is booming, with highest levels of cultivation, seizures and consumption than ever; and, the global cocaine market is highly localised, with three fourths of cocaine users within its two major markets (Americas and Europe) which also account for 90% of seizures while amounting to only a fifth of the total world population. Mr. Vella concluded by flagging that the data shows the potential for significant growth within the global cocaine market, not only in production and supply, but also in untapped demand within new regions, some of which could be current transit countries.
Mr. Luis Toledo from the Chilean Centre for Public Safety and Organised Crime emphasised three points: the entire global cocaine market is supplied by three countries in South America; the rise in violence along borders (especially in border cities) and, the arrival of new criminal organisations which has shifted power structures and operational habits. These new criminal associations between European and South American groups have led to the practice of trading synthetic drugs for cocaine leading to an increase in synthetic drugs entering the South American market. Furthermore, record high levels of precursor chemicals have been seized entering South America, and that certain coca producing countries (especially Peru and Bolivia) are yet to develop legislation that monitors these chemicals effectively.
Mr. Antonio Valverde, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer within the Border Management Branch thanked the European Union for its continued support of CRIMJUST via the Global Illicit Flows Programme. He stressed that it’s thanks to networks like RFAI that accurate data for evaluating routes and seizures is available within the report for evidence-based policymaking. CRIMJUST will be using this report to assist criminal justice stakeholders in developing new strategies for dismantling and disrupting criminal networks, as well as to strengthen collaboration between criminal justice practitioners in order to cement greater transregional cooperation.
