Colombian police seized 14 tonnes of cocaine in November 2025, marking the largest cocaine seizure in a decade. President Gustavo Petro aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of his drug policy amid U.S. criticism. Despite initially opposing the U.S.-led 'war on drugs', Petro has modified his approach, focusing on human rights and negotiating with drug-trafficking groups. His administration has also sought to decriminalize coca, emphasizing its traditional uses among Indigenous peoples, while maintaining a commitment to intercepting drug shipments.
"On November 20, 2025, Colombian police burst into a shipping container in Buenaventura, Colombia's largest port on the Pacific Coast, foiling a scheme to smuggle 14 tonnes of cocaine, valued at $390m. It was the Colombian police's largest cocaine seizure in a decade and a sign of Colombian President Gustavo Petro's ramped-up campaign to intercept drugs."
"Though he took office in 2022 with a call to end the US-led 'war on drugs', Petro has since adopted a modified version of it, placing a greater focus on human rights. He has cut back on the forced removal of coca, arguing that it unfairly targets poor farmers."
"We can say it proudly: We are the government that has seized the most cocaine in the history of the world, said Petro at a cabinet meeting in January. His administration is negotiating with drug-trafficking groups in the hope of reaching deals that reduce violence."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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