UN Exposes Mexico's Dominance As A Global Meth And Fentanyl Producer

By Lucía Tedesco via El Planteo

The United Nations (UN) released the 2024 World Drug Report, revealing that Mexico is one of the largest producers of methamphetamine and fentanyl globally, alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Syria.

This report, prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), highlights growing concerns about the expansion of synthetic drug production.

Mexico's Role In Methamphetamine And Synthetic Drug Production

"Synthetic drugs can be produced anywhere and their illegal manufacture is expanding in low-, middle- and high-income countries. However, large-scale manufacture remains concentrated in areas affected by governance challenges and instability, for example in Afghanistan, Mexico, Myanmar and the Syrian Arab Republic," states the UNODC report. For instance, criminal organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel dominate methamphetamine production and trafficking.

Mexico has positioned itself as the leading methamphetamine producer in the Americas; its proximity to the U.S. market, where demand for synthetic drugs has increased, makes the country a hub for the production and distribution of these substances.

Other Key Findings From The Report

In addition to identifying Mexico as the principal methamphetamine producer, the report revealed other key data about global drug use. For example, cannabis remains the most widely consumed drug in the world.

UNODC also determined that 292 million people are users of one or more drugs. This figure is significantly higher than in previous years, justifying the 20% increase in drug use recorded in the report.

This article is from an external unpaid contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.