A 40-year-old individual was detained at Cartagena’s international airport by Colombian police for trying to smuggle 220 grams of cocaine hidden beneath a toupee just before boarding a flight to Amsterdam. The narcotics, valued at €10,000, were discovered via a scanner, resulting in his instant arrest. It has been revealed that he had previous convictions for drug trafficking.

There has been an upswing in cocaine production in Colombia since 2013, with a 10% increase in coca cultivation and a 53% escalation in potential cocaine production in 2023. Despite a 2016 peace agreement between the government and FARC, the vacuum left by their power has been filled by smaller armed groups, further catalyzing the illicit drug market.