Cocaine production and trafficking are surging worldwide, despite increased attention on the fentanyl crisis. According to Samantha Schmidt, Mexico City bureau chief for the Washington Post, the focus on fentanyl may be overshadowing a significant resurgence in the cocaine trade.

Schmidt explained that the cocaine landscape has changed dramatically since the era of powerful kingpins like Pablo Escobar. "It is a much more globalized business than before, and it works in an entirely new way that makes it much more difficult to combat," Schmidt told Today, Explained cohost Jonquilyn Hill. This shift involves a proliferation of smaller organizations involved in trafficking, making it harder to disrupt the supply chain.

The increased globalization of the cocaine trade presents unique challenges for law enforcement. Traditional methods of targeting large, centralized cartels are less effective against a network of smaller, more dispersed groups. This decentralized structure also makes it more difficult to track the flow of money and resources associated with the trade.

The surge in cocaine supply and demand is occurring globally, indicating a widespread issue that requires international cooperation to address effectively. While the United States has focused heavily on the dangers of fentanyl, the resurgence of cocaine poses its own set of public health and safety concerns. The increased availability of cocaine could lead to a rise in addiction rates and associated health problems.

The current status suggests that the trend of increasing cocaine production and trafficking is likely to continue without significant intervention. Law enforcement agencies and policymakers will need to adapt their strategies to address the evolving nature of the cocaine trade. This may involve focusing on disrupting the financial networks that support these smaller trafficking organizations and working with international partners to address the issue on a global scale.