Ruqayyah Snyder
Coca plants, from which cocaine is derived, can be grown outside of their native South America. In fact, they have been transported to Europe, Southeast Asia, India, and even Australia. However, cocaine traffickers in Australia opt to import the drug instead of producing it locally due to the challenges in cultivating coca and extracting cocaine from its leaves. While coca plants can grow in a wide variety of habitats in Australia, the process is extremely challenging and requires chemistry knowledge and skill.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Height | 2 to 3 meters (7 to 10 feet) |
| Appearance | Resembles a blackthorn bush with curved branches |
| Leaves | Thin, opaque, oval-shaped with tapered extremities and distinct curved lines; contain 0.8% meteloidine, an alkaloid similar to cocaine |
| Flowers | Small, yellowish-white, disposed in clusters on short stalks; mature into red berries |
| Growth Conditions | Thrives in hot, damp, and humid locations, such as forest clearings; also grows in dry rainforest, vine thickets, and open savanna woodland |
| Cultivation Challenges | Requires specific chemistry knowledge and skill for cocaine extraction; tedious and challenging process |
| Legality | Technically illegal to grow in New South Wales (NSW), Australia |
| Alternative Sources | Imported from South America |
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What You'll Learn
Coca plant characteristics
Coca, the source of the drug cocaine, is any one of four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is a shrub-like bush that resembles a blackthorn bush and grows to a height of 2 to 3 metres (7 to 10 feet). The branches of the coca plant are curved, and the leaves are thin, opaque, and oval, tapering at the extremities. A notable characteristic of the leaf is an areolated section bounded by two longitudinal curved lines, with one line on each side of the midrib, and more noticeable on the underside of the leaf. Coca leaves contain cocaine, which acts as a mild stimulant when chewed or consumed as tea.
The coca plant thrives in hot, humid environments, and its cultivation occurs in carefully tended plots in the Argentine Northwest, Bolivia, Alto Rio Negro Territory in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru, even in areas where growing coca is illegal. Coca can be found in a variety of habitats in subcoastal and coastal regions of northern Australia, ranging from dry rainforests and vine thickets to open savanna woodland.
There are two species of coca crops, each with two varieties. The first species is Erythroxylum coca var. coca (Bolivian or Huánuco Coca), which is well-adapted to the eastern Andes of Peru and Bolivia, an area of humid, tropical, montane forest. The second species is Erythroxylum novogranatense, which has two varieties: Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense (Colombian Coca), a highland variety cultivated in the drier regions of Colombia, and Erythroxylum novogranatense var. truxillense (Trujillo Coca), grown primarily in the Cajamarca and Amazonas states in Peru.
The flowers of the coca plant are small, yellowish-white, and disposed in clusters on short stalks; the corolla is made up of five petals, the anthers are heart-shaped, and the pistil has three carpels united to form a three-chambered ovary. If pollinated, the flowers mature into oval-shaped, glossy red berries.
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Coca cultivation
Coca thrives in hot, damp, and humid environments, such as forest clearings, but the most desirable leaves are obtained from drier areas on hillsides. Cultivation typically begins in the valleys and upper jungle regions of the Andean region, where Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia account for over 98% of the global coca land area. The seeds are sown from December to January in small, sheltered plots, and the young plants are then transplanted to final planting holes or furrows in carefully weeded soil.
While coca can be grown outside of its native South American region, it is a challenging process. The plant is woody, unlike herbaceous plants like Cannabis sativa, which can easily grow in various locations. Coca cultivation requires specific conditions and careful tending, making it less feasible for illegal operations looking for high yields.
In Australia, the process of cultivating coca would face similar challenges. The country's distance from other regions adds to the difficulty of acquiring and transporting the necessary materials and knowledge for cultivation. Additionally, the process of extracting cocaine from coca leaves is complex and requires chemistry knowledge, further discouraging local production.
Despite the challenges, it is important to note that a species of the coca plant, Erythroxylum australe, is native to northern Australia. This shrub or small tree, also known as the Australian cocaine shrub, grows in a variety of habitats in subcoastal and coastal regions. However, it is illegal to cultivate this plant in New South Wales, and the leaves contain meteloidine, an alkaloid similar to but distinct from cocaine.
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Coca growth in Australia
Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The coca plant resembles a blackthorn bush, and grows to a height of 2 to 3 metres. The branches are curved, and the leaves are thin, opaque, oval, and taper at the extremities. The coca plant is a shrub-like bush with curved branches, oval leaves featuring distinct curved lines, and small yellowish-white flowers that develop into red berries.
Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. Coca leaves contain cocaine, which acts as a mild stimulant when chewed or consumed as tea, with slower absorption than purified cocaine and no evidence of addiction or withdrawal symptoms from natural use. Indigenous tribes were chewing its leaves for millennia before European settlement.
Coca is traditionally cultivated in the lower altitudes of the eastern slopes of the Andes (the Yungas) or the highlands, depending on the species grown. Coca production begins in the valleys and upper jungle regions of the Andean region, where Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia are host to more than 98% of the global land area planted with coca. In the early 19th century, coca was also cultivated in what is today the Dominican Republic. In 2014, coca plantations were discovered in Mexico, and in 2020 in Honduras, which could have major implications for the illegal cultivation of the plant.
While it is possible to grow coca outside of South America, it is extremely challenging. Coca plants were introduced to Europe, Southeast Asia, India, and Australia in the past. However, the process of extracting cocaine from coca leaves is tedious and requires chemistry knowledge and skills that not everyone possesses. As a result, drug traffickers in Australia find it more convenient to import cocaine rather than produce it locally.
In Australia, a native species called Erythroxylum australe, or the Australian cocaine shrub, can be found in Queensland and New South Wales, although it is technically illegal to grow it in NSW. This shrub or small tree is endemic to northern Australia and grows in a wide variety of habitats in subcoastal and coastal regions, ranging from dry rainforests and vine thickets to open savanna woodland. The leaves of Erythroxylum australe contain 0.8% meteloidine, an alkaloid similar to cocaine.
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Coca extraction
Coca, or Erythroxylon coca, is a highly addictive drug that is processed in jungle laboratories where the coca is extracted from the leaves to produce cocaine. The extraction of cocaine from coca requires several solvents and a chemical process known as acid-base extraction, which can easily extract the alkaloids from the plant.
The process of extracting cocaine from coca leaves involves several steps. Firstly, the coca leaves are harvested and dried in the sun. Then, the dried leaves are placed in "pozos" (pits dug in the ground and lined with plastic) and soaked in a mixture of water, nitric acid, lime, and gasoline for several days. This process helps to separate the cocaine alkaloids from the leaves. The liquid produced is then cooked in barrels, resulting in a thick syrup-like substance. This syrup is then placed in a muslin or fabric and squeezed to remove moisture, leaving behind coca paste containing 30-90% pure cocaine.
The coca paste is then transported to laboratories funded by drug cartels, where it undergoes further processing. The paste is dissolved using hydrochloric or sulfuric acid and water to create a workable mixture. Unwanted alkaloids are removed using potassium permanganate, resulting in pure cocaine paste.
The pure cocaine paste can then be cut with various substances, such as baby aspirin, hay fever tablets, baking soda, or other drugs like amphetamines, to increase profits and alter the effects of the final product. However, these additives can often lead to severe health complications for users.
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Coca legality in Australia
Drug laws in Australia are complex, with some legislation being federal and other laws being state or territory-based. Coca plants were made available in Australia, but the process of extracting cocaine from coca plants is tedious and requires chemistry knowledge and skills. This is why Australian drug barons prefer to import cocaine rather than produce it locally.
The Erythroxylum coca plant is a woody shrub that can grow in a variety of habitats in subcoastal and coastal regions of northern Australia, ranging from dry rainforests and vine thickets to open savanna woodland. However, it is technically illegal to grow coca plants in New South Wales (NSW), as all Erythroxylaceae species are banned in this state.
The legislative document that determines how a substance is restricted in Australia is called the Poisons Standard, which is managed and updated regularly by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). While some types of medicinal cannabis are available under a TGA Special Access Scheme, it is only for patients in need and must be prescribed by a doctor.
It is important to distinguish between coca leaves or the coca plant itself and cocaine, as the legal status of cocaine varies worldwide. While many countries have banned the sale of cocaine for recreational use, some have legalized it for possession, personal use, transportation, and cultivation, while others have decriminalized it for certain uses.
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Frequently asked questions
Coca plants are difficult to grow in Australia because they require specific conditions to grow, such as hot, damp, and humid locations. The process of extracting cocaine from coca leaves is also tedious and requires chemistry knowledge and skills that most people do not have or are not willing to acquire. Therefore, it is easier for Australian drug traffickers to import cocaine instead of producing it locally.
Coca plants require specific conditions to grow, including hot, damp, and humid locations such as the clearings of forests. The seeds are sown from December to January in small plots sheltered from the sun, and the young plants are then placed in final planting holes or furrows in carefully weeded soil. The plants can grow up to a height of 2 to 3 meters.
While it is challenging to grow coca plants in Australia, there is an alternative called Erythroxylum australe, commonly known as the Australian cocaine shrub. This shrub or small tree is native to northern Australia and can be found in Queensland and New South Wales. However, it is technically illegal to grow it in New South Wales.
