The report painted a bleak picture of the worldwide battle against illegal drugs and the criminals behind them, and said a new era of global instability has intensified the challenge.
Production volumes, seizures and use of cocaine all hit records in 2023, making it the world’s fastest-growing illegal drug market, the UN said. In total, an estimated 316 million people used illicit drugs in the period.
“Organised drug-trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises and target vulnerable populations,” Ghada Waly, executive director of the UNODC, said in a statement. “We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain.”
Cocaine traffickers are breaking into new regions of Asia and Africa, the report said.
The relative wealth of Australia, and the price that users in the country are willing to pay for drugs, has long made it an attractive market for criminals.
The country’s vast seaboard also makes it hard for border authorities to intercept illegal shipments.
Australian Federal Police pulled off a record cocaine seizure in December when they uncovered an attempt to import 2.34 tonnes of the drug into the country by sea.
The cocaine had a street value of A$760 million ($821m) with the potential to equate to 11.7 million street deals, authorities said. Thirteen people were charged.
The UN report said cannabis remains the world’s most widely used drug with 244 million users, representing 4.6% of the global population aged between 15 and 64.
In Australia and New Zealand, prevalence of cannabis use was recorded at more than 12%, the report said.
The use of ecstasy - also known as molly or MDMA - in Australia and New Zealand remained by far the highest worldwide, the report said.
- Bloomberg via Washington Post
