A part of the illegal drug trade—consumption, transshipment, or production—is present in virtually every country. In places such as Afghanistan and Colombia, the illicit narcotics economy lies at the heart of violent conflict and crucially affects counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and stabilization efforts. Counternarcotics efforts are complex and long-term efforts to mitigate numerous threats to national and international security, political stability and accountability, and economic development posed by illicit economies.