In 2024, global cocaine flows reached record levels as criminal groups in Latin America and the Caribbean adapted to law enforcement tactics, shifting from cartel hierarchies to decentralized networks. These modular systems, resilient and adaptable, now dominate the drug trade, ensuring its survival even under pressure.
Colombia, the world's largest cocaine producer, has seen coca cultivation surge since 2020. By September 2024, authorities had seized nearly as much cocaine as in all of 2023. Meanwhile, a wastewater analysis in Europe showed rising consumption, underscoring the drug's global reach, as reported by InSight Crime.
