Home / Crime and Justice / Cartels Engineer 'Super Coca' for Record Cocaine
Cartels Engineer 'Super Coca' for Record Cocaine
6 Jul
Summary
- Cartels genetically modified coca plants for higher annual yields.
- Cocaine production has quadrupled in the decade to 2024.
- Record cocaine seizures have occurred in Australia recently.
Cartels are now employing genetically modified 'super coca' plants to increase annual cocaine yields, as production reaches new global peaks. These advancements, coupled with more sophisticated extraction methods, have led to a quadrupling of cocaine production in the decade leading up to 2024, with an estimated output of 4100 tonnes. This surge is occurring on nearly 400,000 hectares of cultivation in the Andean region.
Law enforcement agencies are confronting these evolving threats, with Australia experiencing record cocaine seizures. Authorities recently intercepted 2.7 tonnes of cocaine, valued at over $800 million, concealed in bunkers in Londonderry. This bust underscores the increased sophistication of criminal groups and the challenges in disrupting the upstream production and trafficking of illicit drugs.
Factors contributing to the rise include a reduction in coca plant eradication efforts in the Andean region, particularly in Colombia, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of cocaine production. This has allowed cultivation areas to double since 2020, potentially outstripping global demand. Meanwhile, cocaine consumption continues to rise in Australia, with national use detected at nearly 8000kg in 2024-25.
