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This article examines the development of drug trafficking and organized crime in Latin America, from the pre-colonial peri-od to the legislative measures of the 20th century. The study is grounded in ethnobotanical data on the distribution of psy-choactive plants among the continent's peoples before the on-set of European colonization. It posits that colonial interven-tions not only facilitated the spread of plants containing nar-cotic substances but also laid the groundwork for the emer-gence of international drug trafficking, including its intercon-nection with global socio-economic transformations. Under-standing the historical context is crucial for analyzing con-temporary issues of international crime and drug trafficking, as well as for developing effective resolution strategies. Thus, the article contributes to the theoretical foundation of interna-tional relations and global politics, expanding our compre-hension of the influence of historical processes on contempo-rary global challenges.