Cocaine Seizures by Mexico's Army Skyrocket in First Half of 2015 Arturo Ange - Insight Crime
go to original August 6, 2015

Cocaine is once again front and center in Mexico's drug trafficking industry. In contrast to other illicit drugs such as marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine, the amount of cocaine seized by Mexico's army skyrocketed during the first half of 2015.

The quantity of cocaine confiscated by Mexico's army during the first six months of 2015 - almost 2,800 kilos - is a more than 340 percent increase from how much was seized during the same period last year.

Prior to this year, cocaine seizures by Mexico's army had been on the decline. The apparent drop in demand for cocaine in the United States and reduced coca cultivation in South America were the reasons given for the decline in seizures registered by Mexican authorities during 2013 and 2014. But the 2015 data shows a different story.

The cocaine seizures registered by the National Secretary of Defense (Sedena) during the first semester of 2015 exceeds the amount confiscated in all of 2014, 2012, and 2010. It is also the second-highest amount of cocaine seized during a six-month period in the past eight years.

Jorge Chabat, an expert on organized crime and professor at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE), told Animal Politico that the notable increase in cocaine seizures should be analyzed carefully.

“This could be due to a number of different factors,” Chabat said. “It could be the result of more cocaine in circulation, which increases the possibility of seizures. It could also be that the cartels are moving decoy shipments, or have changed their drug routes. Further investigation is necessary.”

Chabat did note, however, that with the legalization of marijuana, cocaine will gradually take on the role of being the most profitable source of income for the cartels.

Sedena's current statistics show that a total of 2,797 kilos of cocaine was confiscated between January and June 2015. (See Animal Politico's graph below) This figure is equivalent to 40 percent of the total amount of cocaine seized since President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in December 2012. These seizures have been conducted as a part of the government's anti-drug trafficking campaign, in which Mexico's army and other federal security forces have participated.

There are no up-to-date statistics for the amount of cocaine seized by the Federal Police or the Attorney General's Office (PGR) so far in 2015. Nevertheless, the army typically accounts for between 70 and 80 percent of all drugs seized by Mexican authorities.

Amount of cocaine seized by Mexico's army, 2008-2015. (Animal Politico)

Read the rest at Insight Crime

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