Global cocaine production has soared to record highs after declining during the coronavirus pandemic, U.N. drugs agency says.
The increase is due to a combination of expansion in coca bush cultivation and improved techniques in making cocaine.
"The surge in the global cocaine supply should put all of us on high alert," UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said in a statement."The potential for the cocaine market to expand in Africa and Asia is a dangerous reality. I urge governments and others to closely examine the report's findings to determine how this transnational threat can be met with transnational responses based on awareness raising, prevention, and international and regional cooperation.
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