The UN warns of an explosion in global cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking

The global illicit drug trade is expanding at an unprecedented rate, according to the latest annual report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, published Friday. The UN agency highlights that cocaine production and methamphetamine seizures have reached record levels, while the emergence of new synthetic drugs is raising serious concerns.

According to the report, global cocaine production reached approximately 4,100 tons of pure product in 2024, four times more than ten years ago. At the same time, methamphetamine seizures indicate an estimated 13% annual increase in production, a sign of a rapidly expanding global market.

The UNODC also warns against the proliferation of new psychoactive substances. "We have seen an unprecedented increase in the number of new types of drugs on the market and, worryingly, some are more potent or more dangerous than before," said the organization's executive director, Monica Juma.

The report also highlights that opium production in Afghanistan, long the world's main supplier, collapsed after the ban decreed by the Taliban regime following its return to power in 2023. This sustained drop in production has led to a decrease in the supply and consumption of heroin in several regions of the world.

However, this decline in heroin use is accompanied by a rise in synthetic opioids. The UNODC indicates that in 2024, reports of substances such as fentanyl and the even more potent nitazene increased sharply. These products could gradually replace some of the heroin that has disappeared from the markets, particularly in Europe.

The organization also believes that this development further complicates the fight against narcotics. The rapid emergence of new substances, often more dangerous and harder to detect, represents a major challenge for health authorities and law enforcement, while global demand for cocaine and synthetic drugs continues to grow.