Cocaine seems to be in Europe to be so easily acquirable as never before. This is one of the drug report by the European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction (EMCDDA), presented in Brussels on Thursday. In the procurement and distribution of illicit drugs is to observe an increasing use of digital technologies, says the report.
Cocaine is according to the EMCDDA in the EU, the most commonly used illegal stimulants. Around 2.6 million people aged between 15 and 34 years have consumed the drug in 2017.
In comparison to the previous year, the observation reported a three-fold increase in the number of seizures, with the average amount seized, as well as the purity of the drug. In 2017, hired investigators, therefore, in the European Union 140,4 tons of the drug is safe, compared to the national average of 70.9 tonnes a year earlier.
In sea containers to Europe
In the street selling price of cocaine had remained stable, reflecting a rise in the consumption points, the report says. Another indicator of wastewater analyses: In 22 of the 38 European cities, in which there were such Tests, had increased the concentration of cocaine residues in wastewater, therefore. The highest concentrations were reported from Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Especially due to the increasing use of digital technologies such as social media, Darknet market places, and encryption techniques, and a reorganization of the cocaine was for delivery “chain and the actors involved” to determine. More and more often, small groups and individuals were active. At the time of importation to Europe an increase in the cocaine trade in the great style to the event, mainly using sea containers.
The commonest illegal opiate on the European drug market, according to the EMCDDA continues to be Heroin. Here, too, have increased, the quantity seized, while the purity remained high and the sales price for years tend to sink.
No Opioid epidemic in Europe
A synthetic narcotic-induced Opioid epidemic, as is currently seen in the United States and Canada, there are, according to the report in Europe. Nevertheless, these substances represent a growing threat, since their consumption with more Overdoses and deaths is brought in connection.
As in the previous year, the EMCDDA is an increasing production of synthetic drugs in the EU. So almost twice as many laboratories for the production of the party drug MDMA was discovered in 2017, in the Netherlands, as in the previous year. In Belgium, the increasing disposal point of chemical waste on the existence of production facilities for MDMA.
Cannabis is, according to the report, remains the most consumed illegal drug in Europe. The market is changing, however, because the Recreational use of the drug has in some quarters been legalized outside of Europe. As a result, new products such as E-Liquids, edible marijuana products and concentrates on the European market.