Colombian authorities have seized 225 tons of cocaine as a result of “Operation Orion.” The effort involved 62 nations and disrupted global trafficking. The operation intercepted 1,400 tons of drugs, arrested over 400 people, and dismantled arms and human trafficking networks through international collaboration.
Officials said the operation could save thousands of lives by reducing the availability of cocaine worldwide. Cartels lost an estimated $8.5 billion in revenue.
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Coca bush cultivation, the drug’s base ingredient, increased from 234,200 hectares in 2020 to 315,000 in 2021, fueling higher production and expanding global supply chains.
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A new trafficking route to Australia was uncovered. One semi-submersible vessel carrying five tons of cocaine was intercepted 1,250 miles southwest of Clipperton Island.
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Six “narco-submarines” were seized. These vessels, designed to evade detection, can carry up to 10 tons of cocaine and travel thousands of miles undetected.
Global cocaine demand has surged as new markets have emerged, according to the UN’s 2023 World Drug Report. Usage rose by 1 million people from 2020 to 2021, reaching 22 million users.
Traditional markets in the Americas, Europe, and Australia have remained dominant, but demand is now rising in Asia, Africa, and southeastern Europe.
