Coca
Analysis /
‘Contador’ – Colombia’s Sought After Patron of Cocaine
The arrest of suspected crime boss "El Contador," who is accused of being one of Colombia's most powerful traffickers, could further stoke violence in Nariño, a...
Brief /
Wave of Murders Hits Small Coca-Producing Town in Northern Colombia
Murders have spiked in a northern Colombia town that borders Venezuela, is home to armed groups, and has an abundance of coca -- an explosive...
Brief /
Half of All Destroyed Coca Crops Replanted in Colombia
The Colombian government has been lauding the success of its stringent targets for the eradication of coca crops nationwide, but with replanting rates estimated at...
Brief /
Colombia’s El Tandil – Where Children’s Education Depends on the Coca Leaf
A recent report on child labor in the municipality of Tumaco has shed light on why children and young people around Colombia find themselves cornered into...
Brief /
Coca Crops Surge Amid Security Vacuum on Peru-Bolivia Border
A spike in coca crops around a national park along the Bolivia-Peru border has accompanied a recent population boom and disintegrating security in the region, as...
Brief /
Chemicals for Cocaine Production Hidden in Sugar and Beer in Peru
Peruvian authorities managed to identify close to 20 methods for hiding illegal chemical components being sent to criminal groups in the VRAEM, the country’s top...
Analysis /
Bolivia Coca Growers Fight for Control of Legal Production
Violent tensions are flaring in Bolivia's capital between hostile factions of one of the country's coca growers’ unions, escalating a long-simmering conflict for...
Analysis /
Colombia’s Drug Strategy Paradox – Less Coca Crops, More Cocaine
A new UN study shows that while Colombia saw a slight drop in coca crop plantations between 2017 and 2018, this has not...
Brief /
Uncertainty Surrounds Protection Plan for Colombia’s Crop Substitution Leaders
The unveiling of a plan to protect community leaders involved in Colombia’s voluntary coca crop substitution program is not likely to alleviate security concerns,...
Analysis /
Resurgence of Coca in Putumayo Reflects Colombia’s Failed Strategy
The south of Putumayo has re-emerged as Colombia’s second-largest coca producing center, following a period of demobilizations and crop substitutions that had led...
Analysis /
Small Drop in Colombia’s Coca Crops Little Cause for Cheer
New US figures showing a tiny drop in Colombia’s drug cultivation over the last year are being hailed as evidence that a hardline crackdown is working, ignoring a...
Brief /
A Quarter of Gasoline Sold in Colombia Is Used for Cocaine
Dozens of gas stations in Colombia are under investigation for allegedly selling vast quantities of fuel to criminal groups to be used in coca paste processing,...