The ‘war on drugs’ not only pushes drug producers and traffickers into remote, land-rich and biodiverse areas, but increases the price of drug crops and creates a shadow economy. It’s a rampant and entirely unregulated manifestation of capitalism, driven by immense profits and power.
The global drug trade turns over an estimated $650 billion each year, according to 2017 estimates. These proceeds are used to diversify traffickers’ incomes, funding other environmentally-harmful activities including cattle ranching, land grabbing and timber trafficking. Across Colombia, Brazil, Honduras and elsewhere, narcos regularly buy up Indigenous campesino and conservation land.
