Cocaine boom threatens Colombia peace deal

Unparalleled levels of illegal cocaine production risk derailing Colombia’s fragile peace deal, the UN said yesterday.

The United Nations Office on Crime and Drugs said illegal coca plantations in Colombia reached record levels last year to around 423,000 acres. The agency said that translated to 1,400 tons of cocaine, with a value of $2.7 billion (£2 billion) in the local market.

It warned that such money could strengthen the power of armed groups and undermine peace-building efforts.