A gram of cocaine costs $16 in South America, $100-130 in Europe and $330 in Australia – so cocaine producers in South America want Australians to buy their product. The challenge has been getting it to the other side of the world. Until now.
A major overhaul of Africa’s ports and roads have made the continent a prime trafficking route.
In 2017-2018, Australia received nine times the weight of smuggled cocaine via air cargo from South Africa than any other country. In June this year, 384kg of cocaine was discovered in an excavator sent from South Africa.
Globalization is changing Africa’s drug market
Though South Africa has emerged as a large supplier in trafficked cocaine to Australia, parts of the African continent have become hotspots for methamphetamine production and transport – creating opportunities for other illicit drug trafficking.
