 Lumps of solidifying coca paste | In late 2016, Colombia sealed a peace deal with FARC, a left-wing rebel group. While authorities struggle to implement the deal, coca production has exploded. Colombia produces about 90% of the world's cocaine. |  Coca plants grow just two months a year. |
 Coca leaves are mulched with a weed eater | The production process is simple and crude. Farmers pick leaves by hand and put them through a noxious process to eventually turn the leaves into paste, which is then sold to traffickers for refining. |  Cement is sprinkled over mulched coca leaves |
 | Ammonia, sulfuric acid, sodium permanganate, and caustic soda are used. The resulting mixture is put into a press and the basic liquid extract of coca paste is squeezed out. |  |
 | Noxious fumes emanate from marinating leaves, making breathing difficult. Coca extract is mixed with gasoline to extract alkaloid from the liquid mix. It takes about a ton of coca leaves to make a kilo of the paste. Farmers can sell a kilo of paste for about $900. |  |
 | The mixture of coca-leaf juice, gasoline, ether, and other chemicals will eventually be converted into coca paste. The paste is extracted after adding a strong acid into the mix that will further precipitate the alkaloid. The liquid coca paste is cooked to remove the water content. The last step is called "fritada," or "fry-up." The coca paste residue is placed in water and heated until most of the water content is evaporated. |  |
 | The liquid coca-paste residue is then crushed to be packed and sold. It is 40% to 91% cocaine sulfate. Later, the paste is made into cocaine that is eventually sold on the street. Cocaine in its purest form is a white, pearly product. Cocaine appearing in powder form is a salt, typically cocaine hydrochloride. Most street cocaine is about 30% pure, the balance being cutting agents. |  Coca paste ready for sale |
See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2017/06/colombias-massive-cocaine-harvest.html
