Cartels flood Australia with genetically modified cocaine

7News Just In · Jul 6, 2026 · 1m

Drug cartels are flooding Australian streets with cocaine produced from genetically modified coca plants, according to the AFP. These 'super' crops yield higher production on the same land area, while cartels employ more sophisticated extraction technology to maximise drug output from each plant. Cocaine production quadrupled in the decade to 2024, with the United Nations reporting that supply may soon exceed demand due to the drug's increasing prevalence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.