Over the last decade, Europe’s cocaine problem has surged to alarming levels. Originating in South America’s jungles, cocaine is now transported, sold, and consumed across Europe in unprecedented amounts. This surge is reshaping international drug trafficking, resulting in widespread addiction, organized crime, and severe human rights abuses.
What is Cocaine and How is it Produced?
Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca plant, native to South America, particularly Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. The drug is typically manufactured in clandestine laboratories deep within the rainforest. Once produced, it is often mixed with various substances before being sold as a white, crystalline powder. Cocaine can be snorted or injected, and when combined with baking soda, it forms “crack” cocaine, which is usually smoked.
The Influx of Cocaine into Europe
In the past decade, Europe’s cocaine trade has expanded significantly. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Europeans accounted for 21% of global cocaine users in 2021. The UK stands out with one of the highest usage rates worldwide; 2.7% of British adults reported using the drug, more than any other European nation. The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates that 117 tonnes of cocaine are consumed annually in the UK alone. Across the European Union, almost 2.5 million individuals aged 15 to 34 used cocaine last year, according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).
UN analysis highlights 2016-17 as a pivotal period in the expansion of cocaine markets in Western and Central Europe, marked by a significant increase in supply and consumption. The 2024 European Drug Report indicates that cocaine residues in wastewater have surged in two-thirds of European cities over the past two years.
Record Seizures Across Europe
Authorities across Europe have intercepted record amounts of cocaine in recent years. In 2022, over 323 tonnes were seized by EU member states, the highest volume ever recorded. In the UK, more than 37 tonnes were confiscated between 2022-23. Major European seaports, particularly in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain, report the highest number of seizures. For instance, Antwerp, Europe’s second-largest seaport, saw seizures rise from 40 tonnes in 2017 to 116 tonnes in 2023.
Cocaine’s Journey to Europe
Cocaine reaches Europe through various routes, primarily by sea from ports in Ecuador and other South American countries. It often transits through Venezuela, the Caribbean, or West Africa before arriving in Europe. The 2016 demobilisation of Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), previously controlling many coca-growing regions, has led to a fragmentation of South America’s criminal landscape into numerous trafficking networks. Increasingly, foreigners, including Europeans, are involved in streamlining the supply chain from South America to Europe.
Ecuador’s ports are significant transit points; in August 2023, 9.5 tonnes of cocaine were discovered inside a shipment of bananas in Spain. Only a fraction of the containers departing from Ecuador are searched, highlighting the scale of the problem.
The Economic Impact of Cocaine
Europol estimates the street value of the European cocaine market at between €7.6 billion and €10.5 billion. Despite increasing availability, the price per gram has dropped; a gram of cocaine in 2020 was 38% cheaper than in 2015 when adjusted for purity. A kilo of cocaine, costing $1,000 in Colombia, fetches over €35,000 in Europe, with street prices ranging from €50 to €70 per gram.
The Human Cost of Cocaine Addiction
The human cost of Europe’s cocaine crisis is profound. The infiltration of trafficking networks into countries like Ecuador has escalated violence, gun crime, and political instability. In transit countries, the influx of arms, traffickers, and drug money fuels violence and corruption. Europol and the EMCDDA report unprecedented levels of child exploitation, gun violence, and crime related to drug trafficking. The Netherlands’ mayor of Amsterdam warned of the country becoming a “narco state” due to the influx of criminal money and violence.
Cocaine’s rising purity and accessibility, bolstered by social media and encrypted messaging, have devastating health and social consequences. In 2023, cocaine was the second-most frequently reported drug in hospital emergency admissions across Europe, and it was involved in about a fifth of overdose deaths in 2021.
