Colombian authorities intercepted a record 985 tonnes of cocaine throughout 2025, according to recent government data. The massive volume of seizures comes as President Gustavo Petro attempts to defend his administration's drug policy against criticism from the United States.
In November 2025, police discovered 14 tonnes of cocaine, valued at $390 million, inside a shipping container at the port of Buenaventura. This single operation represented the largest cocaine seizure in Colombia in a decade.
President Petro has used these figures to counter accusations from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused the Colombian government of failing to curb drug flows. These tensions recently led to Colombia's decertification as a partner in the U.S.-led war on drugs.
“We can say it purely: We are the government that has seized the most cocaine in the history of the world,” Petro stated during a cabinet meeting in January.
Shifting strategies
Since taking office in 2022, Petro has moved away from traditional prohibitionist tactics, such as the forced eradication of coca crops. He argues that such methods unfairly target impoverished farmers and instead focuses on human rights and interdiction.
His administration is currently negotiating with drug-trafficking groups to reduce violence and has petitioned the United Nations to decriminalize coca for its indigenous uses. However, the government has maintained a heavy focus on intercepting shipments before they reach international markets.
Critics argue that high seizure numbers do not necessarily indicate a successful policy. Ana Maria Rueda, a drug policy expert at the Foundation Ideas for Peace, noted that Petro's strategy of large-scale seizures may be an attempt to avoid U.S. pressure regarding crop eradication.
“I think Petro’s reasoning was: ‘I’ll seize large quantities so the United States won’t pressure me over not eradicating crops.’ But it didn’t work out for him,” Rueda said.
Michael Weintraub, director of the Center for Drug and Safety Studies at Andes University, also questioned the efficacy of the current approach. He described the use of seizure statistics as a "convenient talking point" and urged a deeper look at whether the strategy actually disrupts trafficking networks.