By Ayomide Otitoju
Cocaine production, seizures, and consumption reached unprecedented levels in 2023, according to the latest annual report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), underscoring the growing threat of the illicit drug market, now described as the world’s fastest-expanding.
The report revealed that illegal cocaine production surged to 3,708 tons in 2023, marking a 34 percent increase from 2022 and a more than fourfold rise compared to a decade ago. The UN agency attributed the spike primarily to expanded coca bush cultivation in Colombia and updated data on yields.
Cocaine seizures also reached a record high, totaling 2,275 tons globally, a 68 percent increase over the past four years. Meanwhile, the estimated number of users worldwide climbed to 25 million in 2023, up from 17 million in 2013.
“Cocaine has become fashionable for the more affluent society,” said Angela Me, chief researcher at UNODC. “There is a vicious cycle where increased use fuels more production and vice versa.”
While Colombia remains the primary producer, the report warns of a growing market penetration in Asia and Africa, driven by transnational criminal networks, including those originating from the Western Balkans.
UNODC noted that 6 percent of the global population aged 15 to 64 used at least one drug in 2023, up from 5.2 percent in 2013. Cannabis remains the most widely used drug, but amphetamine-type stimulants also saw record seizures, comprising nearly half of all global synthetic drug confiscations, followed by synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
The report also highlighted a shift in Syria’s illicit captagon trade, following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, which created uncertainty in the region’s drug landscape. Despite Syrian authorities’ claims of seizing all production facilities, UNODC reported continued captagon trafficking into Arabian Peninsula countries, suggesting either the release of stockpiled supplies or ongoing production in undisclosed locations.
