The United Nations reported in a study that "there is a surge in cocaine trade worldwide, and the trafficking of methamphetamine is expanding beyond its known markets, including Afghanistan." The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in its annual report on world drugs, noted that "coca plant cultivation and total cocaine production recorded record highs in 2021," pointing out that "the number of cocaine users globally, estimated at around 22 million in the same year, is growing significantly."
It added: "The world is currently experiencing an increase in both the supply and demand for cocaine, which is now felt across various regions globally. This is likely to encourage the opening of new markets beyond traditional ones. Although the global cocaine market remains concentrated in the Americas and Western Europe (with a significant spread also in Australia), it appears relatively that the fastest growth is occurring in emerging markets in Africa, Asia, and Southeastern Europe."
The report stated that "while 90% of the methamphetamine seized worldwide was in the Eastern and Southeastern Asia and North America regions, data indicates that trafficking has increased in other areas such as the Middle East and Western Africa."
