Uruguay Cocaine and Drug Addiction Problem
Uruguay is a small country almost lost under Brazil's bulk. If not for its strategic location adjacent to Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, and its large port in Montevideo, perhaps Uruguay would have been overlooked by drug traffickers. But right around the corner from Uruguay is the region where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet. This region has long been a ripe territory for drug traffickers and the movement of drugs across national borders.
It would be hard for nearby Uruguay to completely escape this influence, especially considering all the container shipping that passes through Montevideo's port and the international traffic that comes and goes through the airport or cruise ships.
As it is, Uruguay is seeing rising numbers of cocaine seizures and increases in domestic cocaine and coca paste consumption. It is thought that Uruguay may be serving South American drug traffickers as a strong embarkation point for drugs destined for Europe.
Uruguay's consumption figures for cocaine bring it to third place among South American countries, with an estimated 4 percent of the population using the drug. But it's the increase of use that is the most startling. Between 1994 and 2007, cocaine use statistics more than quadrupled.