Colombia eyes drone use to fight cocaine production

BOGOTA:

Colombia’s police could start using drones to tackle a fiveyear surge in cocaine production that has jeopardised relations with the United States.

State contracting documents show that anti-narcotics police in the South American country have hired a local company to test drones for spraying herbicides on fields of coca, the base material for cocaine.

The devices will be expected to eradicate 8ha of coca per day.

Coca cultivation has doubled in Colombia since 2012, and currently exceeds 188,000ha, according to US estimates.

Three years ago, Colombia decided to ban the aerial spraying of coca crops over environmental and health concerns. But drones fly at lower altitudes than spray planes and are expected to have a smaller environmental impact.

Colombia’s decision to stop aerial eradication of coca crops has been harshly criticised by US officials who have pushed the country to reduce cocaine production.

Colombian officials have argued, however, that aerial spraying destroys legal crops near coca fields and pollutes local water sources.

A World Health Organisation study said that glyphosate, the chemical used in spraying campaigns, could be a carcinogen, leading Colombia to cancel aerial fumigation. — AP