The authorities have increased seizures of vials from the licit pharmaceutical market that are being diverted to the illicit market.
A recent report from the Ministry of Justice and Law reveals a worrying increase in seizures of vials from the licit pharmaceutical market that are being diverted to the illicit market in Colombia. This finding reflects a new challenge in the fight against trafficking and consumption of dangerous substances in the country.
According to the report, the last significant seizure took place in February 2024 in Maicao, La Guajira, where authorities confiscated a total of 2,000 vials of fentanyl. pharmaceutical, marking the largest seizure of this substance in the country to date.
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Despite Mass consumption of fentanyl is not a general trend in Colombiathe document indicates an increase in cases associated with this drug, with a record of 30 fentanyl-related deaths between 2013 and 2023 in the country. Although these figures contrast significantly with statistics from countries such as the United States, where fentanyl has caused tens of thousands of deaths per year, Colombian authorities are taking preventive measures to avoid an escalation in consumption.
President Gustavo Petro previously highlighted the seriousness of the fentanyl problem, urging a broader public health policy to address this worrying trend.
The report also reveals data on deaths related to fentanyl consumption, indicating that the majority of them occurred between 2021 and 2023. Additionally, a significant percentage of these deaths were found to involve the presence of other synthetic substances, primarily ketamine.
In response to this problem, the Ministry of Justice and Law is intensifying its monitoring and prevention efforts. An early warning system is being implemented that works inter-institutionally to detect consumption problems and the flow of substances in the national market.
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