Overview

• According to the UNODC, global cocaine production reached 3,708 tonnes of pure drug in 2023, marking a 34% increase from the previous year.
• Cocaine seizures climbed 68% between 2019 and 2023, reflecting intensified law enforcement actions and larger shipment interceptions.
• The number of cocaine users worldwide rose to 25 million in 2023, up from 17 million a decade earlier.
• Organized crime networks have expanded cocaine distribution into Asia and Africa while related violence has spilled over into Western Europe.
• ONUDC research director Angela Me warned that growing consumption among affluent social circles is driving a vicious cycle of higher production and use.