Drug Abuse in the Global Village
Drug Abuse in the Americas

Drug Seizures in Central America

COSTA RICA
A reported 30.473 kg of cannabis herb, 19.248 kg of cannabis plants, 2,157.441 kg of cocaine (base and salts) and 5.170 kg of heroin were seized in 1992.

EL SALVADOR
In the 6 month period between October and March 1993, 3,000kg of cocaine were seized (MEMORIS DE LABORES 1991).

            In 1990, 85.000 kg of cannabis herb and 14.000 kg of cocaine (base and salts) was seized (Other 1990).

GUATEMALA
Seizures in Guatemala are reported as frequent. During 1991, the combined efforts of law enforcement resulted in the seizure of 15.4 metric tonnes of cocaine (an increase from the 3 metric tonnes seized in 1990) three aircrafts and one yacht. In february 1992, 466 kg of cocaine was seized from a private aircraft en route to the USA, coming from Colombia (WIM 1992).

            In 1987, the following seizures were reported: 2.52 kg of cocaine, 7.25 kg of cannabis, 108 cannabis resin plants, and 84 "units" of stimulants. Cultivation of poppies and cannabis was recently discovered (PAHO, 1990). In 1990, 53.000 kg of cannabis plants and 170,230 units of opium (plants and capsules) were seized (Other 1990).

HONDURAS
In 1990, 108.864 kg of cannabis herb, 12,378 units of cannabis plants and 14.515 kg of cannabis seeds were seized as well as 363.519 kg of cocaine (base and salts) (Other 1990).

MEXICO
In 1991, 50 tonnes of cocaine were seized, while in 1983 the corresponding figure was 650 kilograms. The figure decreased slightly in 1992 to 38.8 tonnes seized. In the period of 1988 to 1991, 140 tonnes of cocaine, 1,568 tonnes of cannabis, 532 kilograms of heroin and 872 kilograms of opium gum were seized. In 1991 alone, a total of 254.9 tonnes of cannabis (herb) were seized, increasing to 404.5 tonnes in 1992. Another 5 tonnes of cannabis seeds were also seized in 1992. The total amount of opiates seized in 1991 amounted to 241.81 kilograms, representing 56.9 per cent of the amount seized in 1990 and 32.7 per cent of that seized in 1989. Heroin seizures amounted to 146.376 kg in 1991 and dropped to 96.778 kg in 1992. Opium (poppy seeds) seizures amounted to 1.1 tonnes in 1992, more than double the quantity seized the previous year (Mexico 1992; Mexican Efforts in Drug Control 1992).

            Other seizures included depressants, hallucinogens and stimulants (Other 1990, 1991, 1992).

PANAMA
In 1990, 106.561 kg of cannabis herb and over 4 tonnes of cocaine (base and salts) were seized (Other 1990).