Europe's cocaine habit is devastating South America

[@SearchParty]

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[@ground_news]

Very informative! Thank you for continuing to share our mission Search Party! If anyone's interested in getting the full picture of issues like the one in this video, check out the link in the description and let us know if you have any questions.

[@PaszerDye]

It's kinda jarring when you cut between your own narration and splices of dialog from your interview with the expert so many times.

[@lukemurray4950]

This is more anti white racism. If we are selling drugs, we are taking advantage and destroying people/communities. If we consume them, all of sudden we are not the victims of the drug dealers, we are still the ones taking advantage and destorying people/communties. What is so ironic is the narrative no matter what way you spin it, always has the white people in a position of power.

[@RhiannonSenpai]

7:27 Please correct this mistake with the map.

[@eligerus2622]

​@@RhiannonSenpai Oh he mixed up Bulgaria and Romania. Kind of embarassing.

[@franku5099]

Why cartels are not considered terrorist organizations is beyond me.

[@ericktellez7632]

Because they are not, they are businesses, organizations the word cartel is actually a business terms its not related to criminals, it defines a company that controls a sector, second there is no extra power needed to combat drug trafficking by using the terror denomination, they are not driven by ideology but money and third you do not have the support of the public in their home countries and something the US learned well is you can’t do anything without the locals supporting you thats how they lost Afghanistan AND Iraq.

[@Harry_Tick]

because they own our politicians as much as the Mexican ones.

[@Harry_Tick]

​@@ericktellez7632yea, newspeak can make terrorist thugs into businessmen. Excellent propaganda. Sinaloa says checks in the mail.

[@MrAlen6e]

That will do nothing, the US War on drugs has been going practically for half a century now and production and demand continue to increase..

[@sonnylambert4893]

​@@ericktellez7632pedantic short sighted self serving codswallop

[@baquerizojp]

I am from Ecuador and this video explains it incredibly. It is unbelievable how fast things have changed here, and how bad it has gotten. It does affect everyone's daily lives, everyone know someone affected, everyone is somehow afraid, or avoids going out at night or exposing themselves. It is a real issue that needs to be in the spotlight. Thanks Sam for your videos and research!

[@thelifewithnate]

Where in Ecuador are you from just out of curiosity? How is the situation from now compared to 5 years ago?

[@baquerizojp]

@@thelifewithnate I am from Guayaquil, the main port city mentioned in the video. The situation is very bad compared to what it was before. It is very complicated and kinda hard to explain in a message, but you can research the case Metastasis, which is ongoing and get more details about what is happening.

[@Agent-mb1xx]

what have you done against it? A comment on the internet, good job

[@catharperfect7036]

It's the suppliers who are to blame, not the US.

[@j.w.213]

and yet it's not the fault of anyone else but your country.

[@carlosgarnica]

I'm Ecuadorian and I loved this video. Even though I have been quite in touch with local news on the criminal surge, I was surprised with numerous ties this video made, such as the role of the peace treaty with FARC in the violence over here. Great video

[@abovesewbelow6664]

South America Never blames itself Corruption will become cancer

[@beastjemzo]

Liar

[@HarryWiegmans]

Of course we do need more snow from S.America and more toys from North America greetings🇪🇺🥳

[@davedennison7386]

Supply and demand, a tale as old as the hills....

[@super_baIl]

im also ecuadorian and i had to go to online classes because of this for a while, shits fucked upp

[@bradavon]

Ecuador isn't a market of peace if you're a white tourist. 6 months travelling through Latin America. No problems. 2 weeks to the end, robbed 3 times in Guayaquil in 2 weeks.

[@OnlineSafety-ng7et]

So I guess Indian, Vietnamese and Singaporean tourists are safe to travel through Ecuador, right?

[@kangaroo4847]

@@OnlineSafety-ng7etSometimes thieves see Indians as ‘cheap’ and think there’s no point in trying to rob them

[@patrickferguson7603]

@@OnlineSafety-ng7etVery likely.

[@claycassin8437]

Traveling in Ecuador myself, I knew to stay out of Guayaquil long ago- 2016 and 2017, except for using the excellent bus station to transit to a safer area. The city was already not a place to be as a tourist. I can see it has not improved. I'm very sorry you were not properly warned.

[@claycassin8437]

@@rolfgrupp7228 Manta is much better... But I prefer the Bahia/San Vicente/Canoa area. However, the new mayor of San Vicente was just murdered in drug related violence. She was quite young. So, It too has gotten significantly worse recently. Pobre la costa.

[@ToGuHe9601]

Topic for a video idea: the issue of U.S. pedophiles coming to Colombia and the issue with sex trafficking as a whole, today it is a very relevant topic in the country

[@thelifewithnate]

That's actually a really good topic to cover. I believe someone from Florida was busted for pedophile activities in Colombia recently which was sickening.

[@SweetSourPickle]

Also Why Thailand is what it is today.

[@samijay]

German all over Thailand too

[@wilsito1999]

+1 and not only from US. They also come from Europe and Israel

[@renemejias1842]

​@SweetSourPickle lol I hope your not so stupid to think that is the reason people visit Thailand. It is a beautiful country with so much to offer.

[@carlettdecker7295]

This is very well researched! Living the chaos and violence daily can sometimes be overwhelming and makes you forget how we got to this point. This was a sad but important video to watch and thanks for covering this topic

[@paulhanet]

Hello. There's a mistake at 7:27, Romania and Bulgaria are wrongly labeled. Thank you and keep up the good work :)

[@vladomota9732]

Americans man...

[@SearchParty]

Thanks for catching that. My mistake -- will issue a correction.

[@erikvoitus7488]

Spoilers

[@schwi5425]

@@vladomota9732 It’s a minor editing mistake it’s not that deep dude

[@abdulahmed738]

@@vladomota9732 americans doesnt even know what bulgaria or romania is 😂

[@ASlickNamedPimpback]

Search Party in 1834: "China's cocaine habit is devastating the British Raj"

[@ASlickNamedPimpback]

@nikolas7715 how so

[@Vaiboooooo]

British wanted to have the Chinese addicted. Now, no one is wanting Europe to get addicted ​@@ASlickNamedPimpback

[@ibec69]

Nobody in the world is going to stop doing coke. It’s not realistic. They should just legalise it and let it become South America’s number one export.

[@elGamiReal]

Pretty much, cigarettes are legal

[@krankvegann]

Most rational druggie solution, cocaine is highly addictive, I don't see a world where making it legal is a good thing.

[@sonnylambert4893]

​@@krankvegannhe's never been around deranged violent crackheads obviously

[@sonnylambert4893]

​@@elGamiRealgenius level comparison 👍🤡

[@sonnylambert4893]

That and ' regulation for safe supply" are the 2 things dummies parrot the most. Our governments can bomb the world for oil, gold, diamonds, opium but won't bomb the coca fields to prevent the insane crime and health issues across " the West" due to coke and crack. Because chaos is used to rule us and they re junkies themselves who can afford endless untainted supplies and hiding from general society in their resorts, summer homes, yachts, etc

[@chesthoIe]

No one prefers synthetic opioids. I'd argue cocaine's drop off started in America when they started adulterating it with synthetic opioids.

[@MrKarlhub405]

You got a point ☝

[@miproduction6196]

People sure as hell prefer synthetic opoids what are you talking about? OxyContin, hydrocodones? Hydro/oxymorphone? May I go on?

[@miproduction6196]

Oh my bad tho maybe I misunderstood haha not all the way thru the vid yet

[@chesthoIe]

@@miproduction6196 None of those are synthetic my dude. It's Fentanyl, and like alphamethylfentanyl, 3-methylthiofentanyl, acetyl-alphamethylfentanyl, bullshit. No one likes them.

[@miproduction6196]

@@chesthoIe is semi-synthetic still not synthetic?

[@tony9146]

It’s always telling when I meet someone who is all environmentally conscious and into boycotting big corporations only to find out they regularly buy coke and other drugs, not even considering the horrific impact of their hypocritical actions.

[@Paul__Allen]

But it isn't legal

[@2ndCOATrequired]

Hi yeah, in the north of England we call them “Knobs”.

[@mmfood3004]

@@Paul__Allen That's the problem, if it was legal it'd just be another business. Making it illegal causes all these problems.

[@user-cl5kj7oq6y]

The uk rn is experiencing a cocaine epidemic. I left for the military in 2012, at that point I was already pretty concerned with my working class friends drug habits, now I’m home and they’ve been joined by my middle class friends. Apparently it’s completely normal now to use cocaine on a weeknight, as if it were a light beer or two.

[@Dollybird198]

Same as buying a packet of Fags atm😢

[@comanchedase]

I work as a security guard jn a big firm in Bristol and the other day heard two top lads talking about "what does he want? 100g to deliver?" Right out on the street in front of everyone. Two rich guys jn their 50s

[@trentbateman]

I work in NY and the English here are the hardest partiers compared to American kids who want to go to yoga class at 630 am. This is white collar work with relatively high paid people. Even back 15 years ago the Brits would use way more drugs and drink heavier than any of us. Don’t see the appeal and glad I never did as alcohol alone is dangerous enough

[@genaromicol7347]

@@trentbateman they're much open mind and that shit that american i guess

[@nutyyyy]

They need to be publicly shamed for funding terrorism. People bang on endlessly about Gaza and I don't disagree with them about that, but we need campaigns against drug use.

[@jdak80]

Ecuadorian here. This video does not show that Ecuador had more equality than Colombia, Venezuela or Peru. However, starting 2016, inequality grew through tax cuts to the rich, and lack of social investment, driving the poor and uneducated to be attracted to crime.

[@siaslolo]

Same story in most of latin america, here in Costa Rica, the breach between low and middle class and the elites is growing exponentially, a lot of young people have really no other choice than to be part of the cartels, or be killed.

[@ВиталийДмитриевичБутерин]

Yes. This video lacked a lot of context. I've seen interviews with Ecuador's former foreign minister, Guillame Long, who explains the link between the US and Ecuador's new right-wing government, including how Diana Salazar is doing the prosecutorial bidding of the US and is being groomed to be the next leader of Ecuador.

[@Rotwold]

Name a more iconic combination than the US government supporting right-wing politicians and their country becoming a failed state.

[@Baseballboy7197]

Yup so let’s blame the Europeans like the title suggests? No accountability from any of these third world countries

[@franbalcal]

how do you propose to solve the problem. @@Baseballboy7197

[@RandomGuy-hb3ub]

As an Ecuadorian thank you so much for bringing attention to this topic, people have short memories and tend to forget things as soon as they leave the news.

[@thelifewithnate]

As a wise man once said, "cocaine is a hell of a drug". All jokes aside, my heart goes out to the people of Ecuador with how fast the situation is worsening. I had no idea it was that bad with that and the Latin American region.

[@b.j.880]

It's interesting to see how, for most Colombians, the peace deal meant nothing, as FARC splinter cells still formed or stray members joined other armed groups. But it did mean something, both for Venezuela and Ecuador. An interesting subject of focus for a video could be the de-facto dollarization of Venezuela, and how informal markets make up the entire economy nowadays.

[@andresoef]

As a south american, thank you for informing the world about this issue! Drug trafficking has always been a problem, but in this past few years violence has increased exponetially!

[@christieroad1]

FUN FACT: In Ireland we recently found out that Sinaloa cartel had their main criminal networks situated in Kerry in some small village. Man lived there for 10 years and once he moved out and ran due to newest drug seizures, they found like loads of burner phones, sim cards etc

[@edwinvasquez9957]

They are everywhere.

[@NicholasVincent-ol1zk]

Do you have a list of western unions used 4 smugglers freedom? A current 1 with a smartphone entering us from countries with smuggles incarcerated? Us banks skim& scam foreign may be stemming from bonds & bail tranfers drug trafficker caught muling at airport or customs in other country not Usas'.@thewanderinn24

[@NicholasVincent-ol1zk]

Anything I say make since?#feasible🤷

[@santanaeatis8239]

THANK YOU FOR THESE STORIES

[@marioarias1899]

As an Ecuadorian, I just came across your channel and I have to thank you and congratulate you for your work. Outstanding journalism, man. And yeah, Ecuador has always been a peaceful and secure country where one could walk and travel with ease, in the last 5 years things have gone south in ways very few of us could have ever imagined. It is important to add that in 9:30 where you mention that Correa "kicked out anti drug agencies" this is because he and his government was found to have ties to Narco money, a lot of it. You can research this if you dive into the Odebrecht case. It is extremely sad and unfair that a country that has never had cartels originate from within it has to suffer at their hands. We need foreign aid and new foreign policy to be implemented, otherwise i fear my country will turn into 90's Colombia or Mexico.

[@DarkysLPs]

Coke used to be a really upper class kind of drug, but the prices have sunk so low that it's actually become more affordable. And I think that is the main issue here, quality is up, prices are down. Yet it is still insanely profitable.

[@Eoin-B]

Where do you live? In Europe, it's always slightly less than a day's wage for a single gram. It only goes up over the years. Country to country where it lines up with a day's wage quite well where the further you go north the more expensive it is, bar the netherlands.

[@FoxMulder-FBI]

@@Eoin-B 50 euro / gr here in Belgium

[@Eoin-B]

@@FoxMulder-FBI Really I ment Benelux. You are the main port to the continent so you are the entry into Europe and it's dirt cheap where you are. Just from my travels Finland is really crazy, Norway is the worst, the UK is reasonable but high by the mainland standards, the Netherlands is super cheap, then France and Germany are a bit more, then Italy and then Spain is the cheapest.

[@peepeetrain8755]

still waiting for those prices to hit Australia. 250 bucks for a gram if youre lucky

[@UncleRichieGaming]

@@peepeetrain8755thats insane

[@41chemist19]

It's almost like making items and consumables illegal causes more problems than it solves. Didn't we learn this during Prohibition a century ago?

[@lukemurray4950]

This whole argument has been fully debunked. The more liberal societies on drugs have far higher drug problems than those who strictly criminalise it. Just look at Singapore, Saudi Arabia etc. Then compare them to places like Oragon in tge United States who got rid of all drug laws.

[@grimaffiliations3671]

portugal was ahead of the curve legalizing that stuff

[@goncalo33]

@@grimaffiliations3671 We didn't legalize it per se; we just allow people to carry small amounts for personal consumption. Drug dealers, etc. are still criminals and punished as such, according to the law.

[@SASMADBRUV7]

Does that logic apply with guns though

[@41chemist19]

@@SASMADBRUV7 absolutely

[@TierraD2021]

Great work as always. If I could just suggest something, proper English subtitles on these videos would always be much appreciated. The automated one is decent but at times difficult to read (due to no punctuation or pauses in speech), or simply misses entire words. Subtitles are a great help to both ESL peeps and deaf/hearing impaired folks.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Welcome back, Sam! Praying for lesser gaps between videos and you’re speedily headed to 350K subscribers.

[@BahaaFahmy-ch2lg]

I read an article called "I Wish the U.S. would declare war on Insurance" It said the so-called war made cocaine more abundant, cheaper and the quality has gone way up.

[@AyushSingh-tj3hq]

Loved the animation !🤩

[@rafaelbeltran8803]

As a Colombian, all I can say is that FARC have not ceased operations, but they were given representation in the senate 😢

[@wilsito1999]

Lo que hay ahora son disidencias que han aprovechado la ausencia del Estado en lugares antes controlados por las extintas FARC. Las disidencias != FARC.

[@johnnyflores5954]

Representation in the government, doesn’t mean you have power, especially in Colombia.

[@MrAlen6e]

They were only give 3 terms. The government broke the agreements , never delivered in its promises so off course people who had absolutely nothing would go back to what they only knew.

[@CRAIG5835]

Really? The LYING Farcers!

[@josegabriel6612977]

As a Colombian the official stance is that they are a residual armed group known as FARC dissidents. The original and official FARC even got out of the USA terrorist group list.

[@jasper4036]

Really infromative video and it's been so awesome to see the progress of search party, really well done. Got a video idea though, as an Australian and an IR student one thing that's been discussed recently that intersects the US, Australia and China is what is going on in the Solomon Islands and their upcoming elections, I think a search party video and some great maps could really elevate the story of that islands politics and the geostrategic situation taking place there. Keep up the awesome work and there is a sporting dimension to it as they recently held they recently held the Pacific games.

[@alimacarual]

Failing to take this point across as a latinamerican living in Germany is frustrating and devastating. Cocaine consumption in cities like Berlin and Hamburg is normalised and has become accepted to an extent. It's just an "out of sight, out of mind" thing for most people here.

[@daftyunk]

Sam your videos are a gift. Thanks for all your hard work, it’s inspiring.

[@gnaneswarchintalapati2336]

can you please share the sources used in this video.....great video btw

[@SearchParty]

Just added them to the description, thanks for asking!

[@gnaneswarchintalapati2336]

@@SearchParty Thanks for the sources.......the topics you choose are always very intriguing, it would be great if u continue to add sources in your future videos

[@hectorruilovavidal5654]

Thank you for shinning a light to my countries problems

[@Claudia-Ayuso]

Great vid, Sam!

[@bvanstratum]

Amazing video as always. You’ve long secured a permanent viewer here.

[@diego001]

I’m Ecuadorian, and I believe the big problem with Ecuador is the official corruption. This is the source of a lot of the bureaucracy in Ecuador and the reason criminal gangs did get this rich, powerful, and dangerous. If the Ecuadorian state is serious about ending these problems, they’re going to have to start from the top - the official corruption. Ecuador needs a court similar to what the Colombians did in the 1990s with Proceso 8.000.

[@thelifewithnate]

Mate, do you have family still living in Ecuador? How bad has the situation gotten compared to a couple of years ago?

[@diego001]

@@thelifewithnate I do have family in Guayaquil. And yeah, the situation has gotten bad, but a lot of the origins of these gangs are from official corruption that has allowed them for decades. It’s gotten bad quickly right now, but this has been simmering for a very long time and it’s only now that it’s a crisis.

[@yarpen26]

For corruption to cease being an issue in the region, LA would need to undergo wholesome economic transformation that would place it firmly within the global supply chain. But it won't. It had its chance in the 20th century when it could have become the center of cheap manufacturing for the US, but they chose economic autarkies and Americans opted for China instead. And now with the atomization in full swing everywhere, it's too late to reverse course. LA can't even copy other success stories, it needs to come up with a brand new strategy fir growth. And I have no idea in hell what that could possibly entail.

[@diego001]

@@yarpen26 Yeah. You’re not wrong. I’m not sure myself how on Earth you can get from where Latin America is, where corruption is the quickest way to make a lot of money and power, to the point where their money and power are seen as the threat it actually is.

[@RobbotChong]

No, the unregulated ban of coca is devastating south america. You nerver read about the central stimulating drug coffee devastating south america are you? Well if there was a unregulated ban on coffee we sure would cuz there is No way europeans would give up their coffee ever.

[@yarpen26]

We don't have coffee-addicted zombies roaming European streets on the middle of the night either.

[@Trevelyan007]

@@yarpen26 i see more dead drunk people at night than cocked out zombies. now if you imply that consumption would skyrocket, I disagree. would you take heroin just cause its legal?! if I want coke, I get coke no matter the legal status.

[@CortesCansados]

@@Trevelyan007 i mean, haven't weed consumption in america risen ever since legalization?

[@IWontBuy-RP]

​@@CortesCansadosNot really. What it did do is bring in millions in tax revenue and lower violent crime rates by nearly 10%. No, it didn't lower IQ's either.

[@BenjaminIMeszaros]

I hate to say it, but legalizing drugs seems to be the best way to combat criminal activity across the board here

[@thetruthfromthefuture]

Yes, it seemed to have worked in Portugal. Legalization doesn't work everywhere unfortunately. I think it depends on many factors for legalization to work.

[@Utilizador-gs3lx]

@@thetruthfromthefuture We discrimnalized drug users not drug sellers ,anyone selling drugs will still be charged

[@doublejacketjimmy391]

Nah its not that simple.

[@gringopapi6985]

You have to pick your poison here on decriminalizing. I think many pro drug war people are looking for zero drugs in society and won’t accept anything else even thou the consequences are worse.

[@thetruthfromthefuture]

@@Utilizador-gs3lx in Portugal?

[@amarantahh93]

"El día que dejen de comprar, ése día dejamos de vender".

[@abbasshachem3383]

So it's okay to let gangs rules south America, right? And it's okay to make cocaine?

[@bhenezar6246]

🎉

[@trentbateman]

Yea but they also create new markets through luring customers in at low prices. This happens in the US with meth and opiods where they basically give it out for free to new buyers

[@orjval]

Eso no va a pasar, responsabilizar al otro no siempre sirve. La mejor opción es la legalización y con ello la regulación. Quitarle el negocio a los carteles básicamente.

[@magicalcrow6649]

​@@orjvalla legalizacion no ayuda a nadie, estás hablando de sustancias altamente adictivas, no de cualquier cosa. Hay que decriminalizar el uso de drogas, pero poner en la carcel a quienes se encargan de su producción y de venta. El consumo de drogas después de todo es un síntoma de un problema mayor como el bajo acceso a salud mental y física, trabajos con salarios indignos y poca información con respecto a las consecuencias del consumo, al legalizar estas sustancias sin abarcar por completo el problema solo va a subir los niveles de consumo de drogas al proveer a la población con una solución rápida y más accesible a problemas más complejos, ya sea depresión o dolor crónico, las cuales son de las mayores causas del por qué alguien se inicia en el mundo de las drogas.

[@Peterigepan]

Major oversight: in Europe we think that with opening of borders, gangs organised paneuropean, whilst governments did not at all. This way, the government agencies were at huge disadvantages

[@Leon_George]

Your animation is insane! The effort put into visualising huge data sets would make any Geographer glee!

[@REDWT1]

Ecuador is a beautiful country, I have many relatives there. After a decade of watching President Correa destroy Ecuador and the run scares to Belgium, the people have rallied behind President Noboa and I wish his admin the best. Viva Ecuador 🇪🇨

[@ericktellez7632]

Are you an *mbecile? The peak for Ecuador was during Correa’s tenure, he made Ecuador the second safest country in Latin America, one of the lowest poverty rate in the region, close to no unemployment, everything started to get worse when Lenin replaced him and thats on the stats its not an opinion. Running to Belgium? Noboa literally ran to Miami with his tail tucked when he nearly made Mexico blockade your ports.

[@abesniff3678]

You are right, one of the most beautiful countries, period. It is heartbreaking to see the wonderful people suffering. Honest question: Colombia is a Narco state, has been for quite a while, from police, fiscalia and secret services up to governments at any level. Is this happening in Ecaudor now? Could it be that Lenin Moreno's kinda coup d'etat within Correa's party was part of the takeover? I mean however bad Correa's policies might have been, there was an obvious influence from outside of politics, right? I hope so much that the people of Ecuador can recover security and prosperity, the Salvadorians showed that unconventional measures can be successful.

[@jorgejenniferpenaherrera328]

Reaparece "la culpa es de correa", que ternura!

[@niggolas9492]

Maybe interesting for international viewers: Here in Germany we have things called coke-taxis in every lager city. You just call them, they pick you up you drive around the block, therewhile exchanging money and every drug you want, but mostly coke. You get the numbers via telegram groups or dealers just post stickers with their numbers on traffic lights e.g. And in basically every (techno) club it’s absolutely common to stand in line for a toiletcabine to get in there and snort a few lines with your 3-4 friends.

[@TikoVerhelst]

Same in the Netherlands/Belgium. "A shopping street full of signs for drugs. It's not real, but it exists. On your phone, on Telegram." is how a Dutch news organiation described it, meanwhile showing real Dutch examples they came across after just a couple of hours on the app. In Marseille in France, they even put the prices in graffiti on walls. Demand in Europe is most certainly still high and we need to do more against. No the people who trade it, but the people who use it. (Rotterdam and Antwerp are in a constant battle which city is preferred by drug criminals that year.)

[@diogorodrigues747]

@@TikoVerhelst "No the people who trade it, but the people who use it." - People should stop acting like irrational apes and should see actual successful examples and what was made to stop the spread of both illegal drug markets and drug consumption. I'll say to you that that strategy of punishing the people that use drugs will have very reduced effects, or likely no effect at all. Focus more on examples like Portugal and not the US or the Philippines.

[@TikoVerhelst]

​@@diogorodrigues747 Your ideas are literally what I was saying, but ok...... (I never use the word 'punish', do I?)

[@tjadams8]

I love this kind of work, you & Johnny are doing. Keep up the hard work, its only up from here. If you ever need an extra researcher or anything, feel free to reach out. I'd love to help, if needed.

[@juanpablomanrique450]

About Colombian peace agreement, it didn’t solve it, we are still struggling with guerrillas like FARC and ELN

[@rebuznardo]

I really like your work since ancient Vox times. I am from Colombia, a sociologist with fieldwork experience in peasant regions where coca is planted, and cocaine is produced. Your research is misleading in many levels. But after all your conclusion is plainly wrong: the solution is not in consumers hands; it is the outdated, hypocritical and moralistic US antidrug policy. With legalization, there is no more such a lucrative business. Also, you are missing a huge point: huge coca fields are returning to Peru, but mainly they are moving from Colombia to central America.

[@RobloxAdoptmeSupport]

Yup

[@EneaTheGreat]

I can't imagine how much time this video took to research, find the clips, subtle sound effects you use, edit it all together and give it to us, it is an amazing one and all the visuals make it even more captivating. I wish you big success man you educate people on very interesting and to a point controversial topics, you've earned yourself a new subscriber.

[@ObeyBanksy]

If there's a market for it people will procure it. Regardless of laws rules and regulations. Either that money goes to governments in taxes or just funds Illegal Drug Cartels.

[@ObeyBanksy]

@@salted_lizard worked great with cannabis

[@alexp_9996]

Either the cartels organise the business or the pharmacies sell laced shit that gives you sclerosis

[@JShayParlay]

Great Video Thanks!

[@Steveinthailand]

Great video, thanx. Ive very saddened by the situation in Equador. Btw: as a former journalist, ive enjoyed using Ground News. It has helped debunk so many sensational stories written about North Korea. Subscribed

[@dancefloorheretics]

The video should be titled; How prohibition has failed whilst benefitting & emboldening criminal organisations

[@AwokenEntertainment]

it's like playing whack-a-mole..

[@Nataliexgiselle]

Amazing video, thank you for making this!

[@BobbyBermuda1986]

Did that British guy really refer to South Americans as "The Latins"?! LMAO "SPARTA!!!"

[@jan8742]

Latins were from Latium in the central Italian peninsula, Sparta has nothing to do with Latins.

[@geoff7727]

Probably because of "LATIN AMERICA" ???? genius

[@ericktellez7632]

@@geoff7727we are not “latins” we are Latin Americans, even the Latinos alone should be the Europeans, we are Americans from the American continent with Latin heritage

[@johnsontowoju2969]

nice content What monitor do you use? I noticed it’s a Philips. Could you share the specifications?

[@giulianocantadore6739]

That was a really great video, very informative! Nevertheless, I think that one important thing was left out. When you mentioned that the cycle begins in the Andes Mountains, where the Coca leaves are grown, the spectator can get the impression that these leaves are only good for producing the dr*g, and therefore countries should fight its cultivation to begin with. On reality, the indigenous populations of the andes have cultivated the plant since times immemorial, because chewing them helps to counter the symptoms of altitude sickness (quite important thing in a region of the world where there are full fledged cities up 4000m in the mountains). Coca leaves even have religious importance to some communities. I think that there wouldn't be a need to go in depth about the cultural significance nor the medical benefits of Coca leaves, but a very brief sidenote on the issue would do real good.

[@PotentialExergy2]

Great content!! Keep it up!

[@CarlosFlores-ni9ig]

Please correct me if I misheard, but since when is Ecuador an "island"? 0:36

[@eliteSTEEL27]

Yes - An island Figuratively not literally

[@eliteSTEEL27]

Yes - An island Figuratively not literally

[@MrTHeGREENARMY]

Yes - An island figuratively not literally

[@Querian]

Yes - An island figuratively not literally

[@mosa36]

This was such an informative video to explain a complex matter! Thanks a lot !

[@oscarhagman8247]

I'm really not comfortable with the title and the general message here, blaming only the consumers for the cocaine issue. Yes, supply and demand are important, but the problem with drugs is far more complex than that. And saying things like "This will continue to be a problem as long as demand for cocaine keeps rising among Europeans" suggests that the only solution is to stop the demand. However, we've seen that this approach has repeatedly failed. It's not constructive to shame and blame people for using drugs Consider this alternative perspective: "South America's cocaine production is devastating Europe" - This flip in the narrative helps us see how oversimplified blame can be. And if you've followed European news over the past few years, you're aware of the many lives ruined by cocaine addiction. But still, it's not fair to solely blame South America for supplying cocaine We need to talk about this in a way that looks at all sides of the problem, not just blaming one group

[@alvarocostaalves]

poor europeans cant help themselves

[@PeruvianPotato]

"Poor me! Please feed my addiction even further!" is all I'm getting from this diatribe

[@ericktellez7632]

The entire problem is a demand issue my man, if the Europeans had no demand there wouldn’t be groups fighting each other to supply it, it hurst your feelings knowing it’s you and your people the ones responsible, the South American cocaine is not sentient it doesn’t get inside European’s bodies through magic, it’s a demand issue. You can’t “flip it” around, thats illogical

[@andybuick-tf9vz]

What the hell is wrong with society ....just legalize the stuff and tax it ....people been using cocaine for a very long time and will continue to do so regardless of costs and or barriers ....what is the issue ?

[@TheCrispOne2025]

💯 .:: there’s too much money in keeping it illegal.. $ over human lives … a common theme

[@cardiacresp]

We need to end the war on drugs, it’s been a massive failure, legalizing and regulating it is the only way for this to end

[@PeruvianPotato]

Its always the addicts that want it legalized

[@MalcolmMensah]

What software do you use to make all these animations @1:46?

[@dubzy4485]

it shows him using after effects about a second later so id assume that

[@Asterix796]

pls cover the SRI LANKAN CIVIL WAR REALLY INTERESTING

[@Eltener123]

I wouldn't want to see the comments section under that video

[@JakeStevyson]

Rajiv Gandhi assassination was one of the spark of the Civil War

[@DavidLimofLimReport]

Good vid. Just the ad bit for Ground News took a good chunk of the vid.

[@aegoni6176]

I mean, not our fault their cocos quality are so good, did you know what we had prior to them?

[@TheSJCieply]

Is the demand harming South America or are the harmful effects of drug prohibition continuing to cause devastation? If it were grown in a regulated, sustainable manner and exchanged on the open market, we wouldn't have any of these problems.

[@grimaffiliations3671]

not sure about the open market thing but i do believe there should be designated facilities where these drugs can be consumed legally

[@SASMADBRUV7]

The demand is absolutely harming south America. Because as of now drugs are illegal, so the demand of druggies to get high is fueling these problems

[@SouthPeter98]

​@@grimaffiliations3671This is about production and distribution, nothing to do with consumption

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

Legalization won't do crap. Oregon reversed it. Americans want to use drug until they die. It's the mind which is fragile

[@TheSJCieply]

@@ShubhamMishrabro Oregon didn't legalize it, just removed criminal penalties. Legalization would establish that unadulterated goods are sold, rather than just decriminalizing one side of a black market.

[@LubulaChikwekwe]

Good journalism at its best am a fan of this channel

[@eLSkilo]

As a guy from the hoods of Guayaquil, let me tell you, GTA is fcking safe compared to this crazy city, personally I like it bc I’m one of those who likes to break the laws everyday and this city is sin city, but it’s not for everyone, bullets, guns, dangerous girls, dangerous party’s, massacres in parties (came to kill one, but ended up killing the entire party stuff) gets in your head, I didn’t notice until I reunited with old friend who fled from country before the “war” and the tell me that I clearly have ptsd from living here. Like we cannot hear a motorcycle without losing our shit. Same with tinted cars, and no plate cars. I know I could be killed this same day but I enjoy and most importantly, I really love my city.

[@guestofearth]

Stay safe out there brother. Wish you all the best.

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

Average ptsd affected person

[@Dollybird198]

I love ur honesty ❤🎉.. we can only work with what were given … Stay safe 🙌🙌 Bless you and avoid those girls ❤

[@housinauthority5258]

Sounds like you need to grow up!

[@PeruvianPotato]

​@@housinauthority5258 See, this is why I genuinely hate Eurocentrists

[@beatrizcascelli]

Extremely well-researched video! Thanks for sharing such good explanation to your audience! (and you look very handsome too!)

[@SweetSourPickle]

What was that series called? On Netflix about cocaine smuggling from South America to Europe.

[@sburn1919]

Zero zero zero

[@sburn1919]

Zero zero zero

[@puravida5683]

Easy solution! Like Portugal, legalize all drugs!

[@KOLTHEART6]

Blaming euros for their “habit” that those countries flood with drugs but it’s their fault for doing them

[@ericktellez7632]

??? If there was no demand there wouldn’t be people supplying it, just the fact that there is drugs around doesn’t mean they get inside your body through magic, it’s an active choice your people are doing. The ones that regulate a product is demand because it doesn’t matter how much a product is made if no one buys it then there is no incentive to continue making it. You are in your feelings and it shows.

[@valentinbacalu]

Hey, I liked your video, very well researched but noticed you swapped Bulgaria and Romania on the map at 5:25! :)

[@FormulaOneFix]

Bulgaria and Romania switched places. wow

[@JackHayford-mg4xf]

Absolutely love your videos! Video idea: You should do a video on Athletic Club Bilbao’s transfer policy in comparison to other European football teams. Athletic club have an unwritten rule whereby the club will only sign players who were born in the Basque Country or who learned their football skills at a Basque club. They’ve also just won the Copa del Rey in Spain.

[@lstbys666]

I wish that ad was longer

[@macsstrengthandvigor198]

Earned my sub with your intellect

[@bloop_official]

Search Party, You are overtaking Johnny Harris video by video.

[@that_flnger]

He created a beast he can't handle

[@ATKBLACKSTORIES]

It's just Sam being a better journalist after all.

[@high-captain-BaLrog]

less sensationalistic videos and titles and less contorted history are more than welcome because the bar is LOW

[@ATKBLACKSTORIES]

@@tengille Yes and no. Johnny Harris and his team help Sam things here and there (if you're in the industry, you will know what an executive producer does) but Search Party is basically Sam's work. If you watched Sam's works at Vox before, you could easily tell who the main guy behind this channel is.

[@seandelaney1700]

I'm in Latin America and was sad to learn how Ecuador's crime has risen, I was told much of it comes from displaced Venezuelans, and not just Ecuador. Anyone else have knowledge on this?

[@BH-pl7vg]

Yeah that’s a load of BS. Yes, there are certainly a heavy percentage of criminals that are Venezuelan but that’s simply due to their large presence. Pointing the finger at Venezuelans is the same as the US pointing the finger at Mexicans, Canada pointing the finger at Indians, Europeans pointing the finger at Africans, etcs. Governments always ingrain the idea into peoples heads that it’s the minorities at fault, especially those whom are entering illegally at high rates to push the blame else where. The truth is the heavy corruption within entities of authority (especially in “justice) and a lack of organization is what’s to blame. Ecuadorian gangs are mainly all Ecuadorian, Mexican gangs & cartels are mainly all Mexican, Colombian gangs, cartels and guerrilla groups are mainly Colombian, it’s simple. Follow the money and drugs then look at the politicians and criminal organizations, they tell the entire story. (Also Ecuador has been like this for a long time, it’s the sudden instability within the criminal organization eco system that cause they surge in violence as a fight for power).

[@JEFFCURRYTV]

I'm from one of biggest techno /party Hotspots in Europe it's getting easier to get it and the price is going down while the quality is getting better it's like a flood

[@tony9146]

Maybe stop buying something that you know is destroying other countries?? Or does the need to party outweigh being ethical?

[@angelsunemtoledocabllero5801]

@@tony9146 So just say no. Like Reagan said in the 80s. Something tells me that wasn't been that effective.

[@colemanbar1]

Fascinating story and incredible animation work as always 👏another great Search Party vid

[@SearchParty]

Thank you so much 😀

[@coelthomas]

Kinda disappointed how you didnt discuss the issues of prohibition at all, and simply blamed consumers. Would you have covered alcohol prohibition in the same way?

[@pipdatrip]

If they just legalised cocaine would this not help the problem?

[@srajandikshit7590]

Alt Title: Gaslighting 101 😂😂

[@SASMADBRUV7]

What do you mean?

[@bentn13]

South American farmers are producing more coca than ever because of European consumption. That's a direct supply and demand correlation. What's gaslighty about that?

[@srajandikshit7590]

​@@SASMADBRUV7 Putting the blame on European Drug users for dysfunction in Drug Producing Countries in Latin/South Americas. Basically gaslighting the drug users who themselves are a victim. Much blame for miseries in those countries lie with their corrupt govt not drug users in the other side of continent.

[@SASMADBRUV7]

@srajandikshit7590 you do realise how many people willingly take drugs because they want to get high, not because they're addicted. Supply meets demand, it's as simple as that.

[@bentn13]

@@srajandikshit7590 drug *users* not drug addicts. The title is about the *habit* not some kind of drug addiction problem, or cocaine problem.

[@el_pepe.1]

Amazing video

[@Dysprosio2]

I came under the impression that cocaine users in Europe are the only ones responsible for the violence in Latin America. Sorry, but this is almost offensive. And decriminalizing drugs in Europe should be an urgent response.

[@ericktellez7632]

Americans have a larger share of the blame given that nearly all guns in Latin America are smuggled and bought legally in the USA

[@Random_Iceberg]

@@ericktellez7632 By illegals

[@electrolytics]

You can always tell the emotionally immature drug addicts by their pleas for drug legalization.

[@KaoKacique]

This is not offensive, it's a fact. The drug trade to first world countries is the main reason why South America is so violent. Organized Crime in South America before and after the drug trade to US and Europe (and now rich asian nations too) are day and night

[@travishartman5662]

Blaming others won't help.

[@devanman7920]

Doesn't more of it go to the United States though?

[@jedibane]

Great work team. 🎉🎉🎉

[@ArturoVilchez92]

So you are putting the blame on the consumers? 😂 dude wtf

[@ElderMaruri]

Obviously. Demand drives offer, not the other way around. Grab a basic Economics class at least, dude.

[@gumpotronic]

1:54 - Since other people already did all this work, I decided to compile it and make a video

[@arontung]

Same issues in Europe. Gang violence has escalated and become more vicious & violent like never before. Started around 2012.

[@kpopaspirations]

Legalize drugs, tax, regulate.

[@abbasshachem3383]

And more addict

[@diogorodrigues747]

@@abbasshachem3383 Not if you help the people that ended up taking drugs and became addicted.

[@sonicsatammegalover3563]

​@@abbasshachem3383well better more addicts then having massive gang wars

[@dominicangelo7779]

This video was incredible.

[@Baseballboy7197]

Lmfao it’s Europes fault?? I get no supply without demand but let’s not pretend that these countries are anything but incompetent. “Island of peace” is a huge joke

[@avx111]

It is pretty surreal living in Peru and knowing that everyone knows our biggest industry after mining is cocaine, everyone knows every major political party is involved in cocaine trade and knowing our military and police are part of the supply chain, yet no one does anything about it or even talks about it. We get to enjoy blissful ignorance, we don't have anything similar to drug cartel violence seen in Mexico or Colombia, our drug lords keep a low profile and don't engage in obscene displays of wealth. It's hard to argue in favor of fighting the cocaine cartels knowing the chaos they could unleash.

[@SeriouslyBadFight]

Its interesting that the opportunity of selling cocaine. Is directly linked to the change of economic systems in eastern Europe. No communism more drugs. Question is how true is this statement. An what's that mean.

[@suchlimk]

It means that under communism people were too poor to afford cocaine and the iron curtain prevented a lot of smuggling between the east and west

[@ours1209]

You left out the trail FARC ran which is also up grabs! It ran from Guayaquil through Colombia then loaded onto small boats to MX.

[@RodrigodaMotta]

I think that we could use this title for basically every interaction between Europe and south America since 15th century. Great video and amazing work!