Peru is the world’s new cocaine production capital, here’s why

Much of the world's cocaine now originates in the lush mountains of Peru, where young, poor farmers risk their lives making the difficult and dangerous trek to deliver cocaine to traffickers. In 2012, Peru eclipsed Colombia to become the world's number one exporter of cocaine. A backpacker is the first leg of this global drug trade carrying cocaine on backs from high altitude Incan mountain trails to cocaine traffickers. They are mostly poor men from farming communities and can earn between 150 to 400 dollars per trip, carrying what could sell for hundreds of thousands in the USA.