Cocaine now the fastest-growing illicit drug market globally: UN

Cocaine has become the world’s fastest-growing illicit drug market, with global production, seizures, and usage hitting record highs in 2023, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

In its annual World Drug Report released Thursday, the UNODC said that global cocaine production surged by nearly one-third, reaching an estimated 3,708 tons last year — the highest figure ever recorded, according to news reports.

The dramatic rise is largely attributed to expanded coca cultivation in Colombia, where yields rose nearly 50% compared to 2022. The number of global cocaine users also increased, reaching 25 million in 2023, up from 17 million a decade ago.

“Cocaine production, seizures, and use reached new highs in 2023, making cocaine the fastest-growing illicit drug market in the world,” the UN agency stated.

The report highlights that North America, Western and Central Europe, and South America remain the largest consumer markets, based on usage rates and wastewater analysis data.

Additionally, the synthetic drug market is expanding rapidly due to low production costs and reduced risk of detection for traffickers.

Amphetamine-type stimulants accounted for nearly 50% of global synthetic drug seizures in 2023 — a new record. This was followed by seizures of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl.

The UNODC expressed concern over the growing diversity and availability of synthetic drugs, which pose increasing threats to public health and law enforcement efforts.

The findings of the report underscore the urgency for coordinated international responses to combat the rising tide of cocaine and synthetic drug production and trafficking.