Colombia continues to be the leading producer of cocaine globally, consistently setting new records each year. In the fertile hills of Putumayo in southern Colombia, coca plants thrive, enabling traffickers to convert the leaves into cocaine that inundates Western markets.
Leaning over a plastic drum, Jaime* observes as crushed coca leaves blend with gasoline. The pungent odor emanating from the large blue container doesn’t bother the 36-year-old farmer. With the steady focus of someone skilled in his trade, Jaime stirs the thick mixture by hand before sealing the drum with a lid. “We need to wait 45 minutes—just enough time for lunch,” he says, making his way to a nearby makeshift kitchen.
Wearing a baseball cap and a friendly smile, Jaime discusses his work with professional ease. He speaks about his coca plants as others might discuss their bananas or plantains, but his crops are significantly more profitable. After undergoing several chemical processes, the leaves are transformed into the white powder that finds its way to parties in Europe and the U.S., or onto office desks in Bogotá, New York, or Paris.
“I plan to plant two more hectares, bringing the total to ten.”
Jaime is the initial link in a drug trafficking chain that extends well beyond his home in Putumayo, a region where the Andes meet the Amazon. After serving nine years in the army, he turned to the illegal coca trade. He purchased a farm in Puerto Guzmán, a small town he once patrolled as a soldier tasked with eradicating coca fields, for 180 million pesos—approximately $40,000.
His property is secluded, and visitors are advised to leave their phones behind. “You never know who you might encounter—soldiers or guerrillas. They often check your photos and messages,” he explains. The area is controlled by the Border Commandos, a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which oversees the local drug trade and serves as Jaime’s buyers.
At the end of a rough dirt road, concealed among tall trees and rolling hills, eight of Jaime’s 21 hectares are cultivated with coca. “I’ll plant two more to reach a total of ten,” he states.
Record Coca Production in Colombia
Jaime speaks like a savvy landowner, reflecting the prevalence of coca farming in Putumayo. Over the past four years, coca cultivation in the region has surged by 78%, increasing from 28,200 to 50,300 hectares. Putumayo is now the second-largest coca-producing department in Colombia, following neighbouring Nariño. Together, these regions contribute to Colombia's record-breaking cocaine production year after year.
According to the latest report from the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Colombia had a record 253,000 hectares of coca under cultivation in 2023, which could yield approximately 2,664 metric tonnes of cocaine.
"Estimating actual production is very challenging due to the illegal nature of the activity," noted Leonardo Correa, UNODC’s coordinator for Colombia. He explained that yields are influenced not only by the area cultivated but also by advancements in production techniques. "Fertilisers are now more effective, and methods for alkaloid extraction have improved," he added.
“Make sure not to waste anything.”
After lunch, Jaime gets back to work. He filters the gasoline-soaked leaves, adds sulphuric acid and caustic soda, filters again, and after about an hour, he produces a sticky, transparent liquid. Once it solidifies, it turns into coca base paste—a crude yet potent form of cocaine. He sells the chalky white chunks to the Border Commandos.
As he scrapes leftover paste off a plastic tray from a previous batch, he mutters, “Even these small bits are worth money. You really try not to waste anything.”
Each harvest brings Jaime around 11 million pesos—approximately $2,300. With six harvests a year, he earns nearly $14,000 annually—significantly more than what legal crops would yield.
“Coca is simple to grow, easy to harvest, and there are always cash-ready buyers,” says Ana MarÃa Rueda, a drug policy expert at the Bogotá-based Ideas for Peace Foundation. “No other crop provides rural farmers with that level of security.”
Recently, Jaime has been selling his coca base for 2,200 pesos per gram, roughly 50 cents. "It's a terrible price," he complains, wishing it were 3,000 pesos instead. However, the Border Commandos restrict him to selling exclusively to them, and he attributes the price drop to their internal conflicts.
In February, their leader, known as "Araña" or "the Spider", was captured, which threw the group into chaos. "There are three armed groups operating in this area: the Border Commandos, the Second Marquetalia guerrillas, and the Carolina RamÃrez front of the FARC dissidents," said a former official from Puerto Guzmán, who requested to remain anonymous. The competition among these groups complicates the trade.
“The era of Pablo Escobar is behind us.”
Putumayo, which shares borders with Ecuador and Peru, holds significant strategic importance for traffickers. However, Colombian groups no longer dominate the global trafficking routes. “The era of Pablo Escobar is behind us,” Rueda stated. “They no longer manage exports.”
Instead, Correa explained, “Their objective is to transport the product to the border as swiftly as possible.”
Jaime delivers his base paste to the banks of the Caquetá River, where traffickers transport it through the jungle to border regions. There, it is processed in makeshift labs—known as 'cocinas'—before being transferred to Mexican cartels for international shipping.
According to research by Insight Crime, Mexican groups such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Los Zetas have established a presence in Colombia. Some shipments pass through Ecuador before reaching Europe or the U.S., while others navigate through the Amazon to Brazil's major ports. "Trafficking routes are diversifying," noted Correa. "Some now go through Africa, the Balkans, or northern Europe." Once in Europe, powerful Dutch, Italian, and Balkan mafias take control of distribution.
Jaime, however, is unconcerned with who manages operations downstream. Life on his finca has a Wild West atmosphere, far removed from government oversight. He rides his horse between his coca fields, dreaming of expansion. "I’d love to plant over there too," he says, gesturing toward a wooded area. "Just imagine the money I could make..."
Low prices don’t concern him. “In this area, the economy relies on cattle, some crops, and coca,” explains the former town official. The resilience of the drug market is evident: “Two years ago, prices plummeted, but farmers continued to plant because they anticipated a market recovery,” Rueda noted.
Regarding government crackdowns, Jaime remains unfazed. These efforts have relaxed in recent years. Aerial spraying of glyphosate has ceased, and President Gustavo Petro has shifted his focus from small coca farmers to criminal networks.
His new strategy consists of two parts: “Oxygen” aims to assist farmers in transitioning away from coca, while “Asphyxiation” targets traffickers and money laundering.
However, results have been limited thus far. The anticipated investments in legal alternatives have not come to fruition, and, according to Rueda, “asphyxiation is nonexistent.” Armed groups continue to extend their influence. “While a social approach is crucial, what about the armed actors?” she questioned. “There is a complete disconnect between drug policy and security policy.”
Nevertheless, similar to previous administrations, Petro’s government showcases images of police with confiscated cocaine bricks at the nation’s ports. “He has no choice but to present this to the international community,” Rueda noted. However, she remains sceptical about the long-term effects.
Can Colombia truly combat a trade that perpetually crosses its borders? “What troubles me is that coca cultivation is spreading beyond the Andes—into Honduras and Guatemala,” Correa remarked. “Even if Colombia manages to find a solution, demand will drive someone else to produce it.”
Jaime, however, has different priorities. From his vantage point on horseback, he dreams of expanding his business. He’s heard that some of his neighbours are also considering growing coca. “I could sell them seeds and connect them with my buyers. Who knows, I might even take a share,” he says with a smile.
On his land, coca will continue to thrive.
