Anti-drug police in Colombia could turn to herbicide-spraying drones to eradicate illegal coca crops. The Colombian government has been using the controversial tactic for years against cocaine traffickers and farmers who grow it illegally. The move is aimed at appeasing the US, following a 2017 Drug Enforcement Administration report which claimed cocaine production had tripled between 2013 and 2016, while an estimated 93% of the drug seized in the US was of Colombian origin.
Anti-drug police in Colombia could turn to herbicide-spraying drones to eradicate illegal coca crops. State filings reveal law enforcement authorities have partnered with a local company to test aerial spraying, three years after it was banned due to environmental concerns. The move is aimed at appeasing the US, following a 2017 Drug Enforcement Administration report which claimed cocaine production had tripled between 2013 and 2016, while an estimated 93% of the drug seized in the US was of Colombian origin.