Statistics Cache: The Global Cocaine Trade

From Terrorism and Drug Trafficking in the 1990s, 1991, edited by Alison Jamieson

Total Amount of Cocaine HCl Refined in Colombia

1988: 508 metric tons (508,000,000 grams)

1989: 566 metric tons (566,000,000 grams)

(Terrorism 1990s, p.82-83)
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Cocaine Seized by Interdiction In Europe

Spain 1988: 3,450kg

Netherlands 1988: 517kg; 1989: 1,425kg; March 1990- single bust netted 3,000kg

Great Britain 1988 285kg; 1989 425kg

Total Europe

1987 3,970kg = 3.97 metric tons = 4.38 short tons (US measure; 2000 tons) = 8,760 lbs.

1988: 6,994kg = 6.994 metric tons = 7.7 short tons (US measure; 2000 lbs) = 15,400 lbs

(Terrorism 1990, p.71, p.90)

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From The Global Connection, By Ben Whitaker, Publisher: Jonathan Cape London, 1987

Estimated U. S. Cocaine Imports, c.1986

Total: 45 metric tons = 49.6 short tons = 99,200 lbs. = 45,000,000 grams

[from Bolivian sources, mostly refined in Colombia: 25 metric tons]

(Global Connection, p.338)

US refined Cocaine HCl supply from Medellin, Colombia: 40 metric tons

(Global Connection, p.339)

Estimated Coca Leaf Production, Bolivia: 160,000 metric tons

(Global Connection, p.338)
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Drug Trafficking in the Americas, 1992

Colombian Coca Crop, 1991

(note: a statistic providing an estimation for the hectares of coca cultivated in Colombia is not provided)

Coca Crop Eradication, 1991

Army 100 hectares / Navy 196 hectares /AF - / Police 129 hectares / DAS 1 hectare

Total 426 hectares = 1053 acres

(1 hectare = 2.5 acres....[more accurately, 2.47 acres])

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.139
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Total Federal Budget of the United States for the Control of Drugs, 1988-1992 (in percentages)

For Supply 1988 70.3% / 1989 71.2% / 1990 69.9% / 1991 67.9% /1992 68.6%

For Demand 1988 25.9% / 1989 5.2% / 1990 26.6% /1991 28.0% / 1992 27.2%

For Research 1988 3.8% / 1989 3.6% / 1990 3.5% / 1991 4.1% / 1992 4.2%

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.141
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U.S. Anti-Narcotics Assistance To Colombia, 1989-1991

Military aid 1989 $73.1 million / 1990 $93.2 million / 1991 $52 billion

Law Enforcement 1989 $10.0 million / 1990 $20.0 million / 1991 $20 million

Economic Assistance 1989 $2.8 million / 1990 $2.1 million / 1991 $49.8 million

Total (calculation by researcher, not found in original document) 1989 $85.9 million / 1990 $115.3 million / 1991 $121.8 millon

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.138
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World Production of Cocaine 1988 587.4 tons / 1989 596.10 tons / 1990 611.90 / 1991 662.2 tons

Seizures in Colombia 1988 18.70 tons / 1989 30.3 tons / 1990 44.9 tons / 1991 69.60 tons

Drug Trafficking In The Americas, 1992
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Whitewash, 1990 by Simon Strong

Precursor Chemicals

Amount of Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) lab solvent sold in Colombia by Holanda Colombia (division of HCI)

1989 358 tons / 1992 1,960 tons

1993 4,057 tons

Holanda storage and teminal sister company sales of MEK

1993/8000 tons

(Whitewash, p.119)
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From Drug Trafficking In The Americas, 1992

Precursor Chemicals Confiscated by Colombian Authorities, 1991

A list of several chemicals is provided: amounts are in gallons. Seeking the Methyl Ethyl Ketone Statistic on the list, the nearest acronym found was "MEC".

Amount of MEC confiscated, 1991: 70079 "GLS" (the acronym GLS is not explained; I'm presuming it means "gallons.")

1 gallon MEK = approximately 6.7 lbs.

70079 x 6.7 = 469,529.3 lbs. / 2.2 = 213,422.4 kg = 213 tons
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Coca Leaf Production in Three Countries in South America

( mt = metric ton = 1,000kg = 1,000,000 grams = 2200 lbs. avoirdupois )

Bolivia 1986: 44,000-52,920mt; 1987: 46,000-67,000mt; 1988: 57,445-78,355mt; 1989: 65,998mt; 1990: 64,000mt

Colombia 1986: 12,000-13,600mt; 1987: 18,000-23,000mt; 1988: 19,000-24,200mt; 1989: 33,487mt; 1990:33,360mt

Peru 1986: 95,000-120,000mt; 1987: 98,000-121,000mt; 1988: 97,000-124,000mt; 1989: 123,828mt; 1990: 108,544mt

Total Coca Acreage 1986: 152,000-187,520mt; 1987: 162,400-211,400mt; 1988: 173,745-227,055mt; 1989: 223,583mt; 1990: 206,074mt

( Terrorism 1990s, p.82)
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est. total Andean coca leaf production

1996 550,000 metric tons

estimated U.S. cocaine retail profit @ $175/gm $53 billion

Robin Kirk, More Terrible Than Death, 2003, p.240

[no footnotes]
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Colombian Anti-Narcotics Activities 1991

Drug Traffickers Captured

Colombians Army 215/ Navy 24 /AF 2 /Police 1153 /DAS 113 Total 1507

Foreigners Army - /Navy - /AF 2/ Police 21/ DAS 3 .................Total 26
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Amount of U.S. Anti-Narcotics Aid to Colombia in 1991, divided by Acres Of Eradicated Coca

(calculated by researcher, from figures provided above)

$121,800,000 / 1053 acres =

$115,670/acre
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Cocaine Source Country Dollar Export Earnings, 1989 (billions of dollars) (roughly estimated. ed.)

Peru 1989: $1-1.8 billion (equivalent to 38-69% of legal exports, 2.4-4.6% national GDP)

Colombia 1989: $1.5-4 billion (equivalent to 29-77% legal exports, 4-10% national GDP)

Bolivia 1989: $.8-1.2 billion (equivalent to 150% of legal exports, 19-23% of national GDP)

(Terrorism 1990s, p.18)

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1000kg coca leaf = 25kg cocaine sulfate paste = 10kg base = 9kg - <10kg refined cocaine HCl

(James Inciardi, The War On Drugs II, 1992, p.88)

Conversion of coca leaf into cocaine

1 metric ton/1000 kg coca leaf = 16kg refined cocaine HCl. cut for street use

$2000-$4000/mt coca leaf = 16kg dilute cocaine @est.$400,000 (per kg price varies)

est. U.S. wholesale cost 1 kg refined cocaine HCl 1981 $65,000/kg; 1989 $14,000/kg; 1990 $30-35,000/kg

(James Inciardi, The War On Drugs II, 1992, p.90)

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Pipe Dream Blues, by Clarence Lusane, 1991

Florida Banks Cash Surplus

1970- $576 million

1976- $1.5 billion

1982- $5.2 billion

Pipe Dream Blues, p.95
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Whitewash, by Simon Strong, 1991

Colombian Revenue From The Drug Trade (all illegal drugs produced in the country- primarily cocaine, marijuana, heroin) , 1993

Colombian government judicial authorities estimate- $5 billion

U. S. government law enforcement agencies estimate- $7 billion

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Total Amount of Money Laundered Globally, 1993

1993- $400 billion USD (estimate is referenced as provided by Citibank)

Whitewash, p. 183-184
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