Cocaine output at record highs as Ecuador's ports become the trade's superhighway
Global production topped 3,700 tonnes in the last UNODC count; Ecuadorian ports now move up to 80% of Europe's cocaine as Petro rejects UN monitoring
Summary
Global cocaine production stands at a record, about 3,708 tonnes in the last Unodc count, with 25 million users, driven by Colombia, whose potential output reached 2,664 tonnes on 253,000 hectares of coca, a tenth straight annual rise. The transit map has shifted seaward: roughly 30% of cocaine found in global shipping containers departed from an Ecuadorian port, and up to 80% of Europe's cocaine is estimated to transit Ecuador. Guayaquil's June 2026 "Ares" raids underline the containerised-export model. Meanwhile Gustavo Petro announced in January 2026 that Colombia will reject UNODC production estimates, citing methodology, as his police claim a 56.9% cultivation drop, a statistical war over whether the record is real.
By the numbers
- 3,708 tonnes, record global cocaine production (last UNODC count).
- 2,664 tonnes, Colombia's potential output; 253,000 ha of coca (10th straight rise).
- ~30%, share of container-detected cocaine departing an Ecuadorian port.
- up to 80%, estimated share of Europe's cocaine transiting Ecuador.
- 56.9%, cultivation drop claimed by Colombia's own police, disputing UNODC.
Why it matters
Cocaine is the world's fastest-growing illicit drug market, and its violence has migrated south to Ecuador, where homicide rates exploded with the port trade. Petro's rejection of UN monitoring removes the independent yardstick just as the record peaks, clouding the global picture.
What to watch
- Whether Colombia's withdrawal from UNODC monitoring degrades the global dataset.
- Ecuador port-security operations and any drop in container detections.
- European arrival ports (Antwerp, Rotterdam) and onward Australian/Asian routes.