J.B. Russell

Reportage: Coca Wars

A coca farmer harvests coca leaves in a remote village. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.Eterazama, El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Coca farmers drying harvested coca leaves in a remote village. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Coca farmers harvest coca leaves in a remote village. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.Eterazama, El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
A coca farmer with a sac of coca leaves passes a Coca Cola truck on his way to market. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Professor Rafael, a mystic, uses coca leaves to read fortunes. The coca plant and its leaves play an important role in the traditional way of life for indigenous Bolivians. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.Eterazama, El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
  
Sacs of coca leaves at a village market. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.Villa 14 Septiembre, El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
A young girl amongst sacs of coca leaves at a village market. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.Villa 14 Septiembre, El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Cocalero leader and militant Evo Morales speaks to villagers at a community meeting. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.Eterazama, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) patrolling rural areas where coca is grown. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) search a truck for drugs and drug making materials along a rural road. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Bolivian narcotics forces (UMOPAR) discover 2 kgs of cocaine paste sewn into the bottom of a womans baby bag after searching the bus on which she was riding. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Two captives in the prison at the UMOPAR, a special narcotics unit of the Bolivian Armed Forces, base at Chimoré. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
The San Antonio maximum security prison for men is heavily overcrowded due to drug arrests. Most of those arrested on narcotics charges are poor farmers while powerful drug trafficers are rarely apprehended. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.Cochabamba, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) on an aerial patrol over dense jungle where coca leaves are processed into cocaine paste. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Coca farmers in the jungle spreading coca leaves in the sun to dry. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) pass coca crops on a jungle patrol in search of cocaine producing labs. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) on a jungle patrol question a coca farmer. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) on a jungle patrol searching for drug labs. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) on a jungle patrol discover a cocaine paste lab. The owners had already fled, but the lab will be destroyed. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Special narcotics forces (UMOPAR) on a jungle patrol discover and destroy a cocaine producing lab. El Chapare, in Bolivia's central lowlands, is the country's principle coca producing region and the heart of the war on drugs.El Chapare, Bolivia.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
The Colombian Armed Forces conducting aerial fumigation of coca and poppy plantations in the mountainous Colombian region of Tolima.Chapparral, Colombia.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
The Colombian Armed Forces conducting aerial fumigation of coca and poppy plantations in the mountainous Colombian region of Tolima.Chapparral, Colombia.Photo © J.B. Russell