Posted on 05/30/2010 10:44:48 AM PDT by GonzoII
Colombian cocaine production fell to an 11-year low in 2009, the Interior Ministry said, citing preliminary findings by a study conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
The country produced 390 metric tons of the drug last year, down 9 percent from 430 tons in 2008, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Land dedicated to production of coca, the base ingredient of the drug, fell to 68,025 hectares last year, an 11-year low, according to the study based on satellite monitoring of fields of coca.
(Excerpt) Read more at bogotafreeplanet.com ...
The supply shrinks when the demand goes down ... too many people in this country don’t have enough money any more ... LOL ...
A key change:
Most of the product is now finally smuggled in by submarine (more like semiSubmersible). The craft are intended for one-way use and the crew (which is usually comprised mostly of fishermen who are being extorted) fly back after/if they complete the voyage.
Conditions are hard, and detection is a real possibility, although this is quite difficult, even with modern technology.
Such semisubs travel quite slowly the last critical leg, and now they often use an exhaust cooling/dispersal system, the better to thwart infraRed detection.
Some say Syria provides technical support in Columbia for the building of these semiSubs.
meth has taken up the slack.
Ability to pay has decreased somewhat. But, when you're jonesing, you'll find the money.
Transport and distribution efficency has increased with boats/subs and our military/law enforcement distraction with terrorism, foreign wars and land-border control.
Primarily the price escalation from what is paid to farmers, and what is paid by end users has always depended on the mark-up of each level of trafficker. There are many fewer levels of mark-up, i.e, fewer "middle-men" now due to stream-lined cartels whom not only desire more security but more centralized profit-taking.
Drug trafficking is a modern business.
Instead of a distribution pyramid, the model looks more like a raindrop falling intact and unfettered until it hits the ground and scatters.
At the street level, it is distributed by hordes of ex-cons that can't work because of their felony record and will now accept less profit.
Columbia can’t begin to compete with Mexico. Mexican cartels have basically taken over the Columbian drugs and FARC is more active than ever. More on this in the NAFBPO foreign news reports. Keyword: NAFBPO
Outsourcing to Mexico?
Gonzoll
I am a believer in the free market system.
As a result of a supply drop in cocaine, did the price increase?
Strictly a supply side economics question.
In theory it should. I haven't bought any lately. ;0)
yeah neither have i.
but in theory.
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