Malta was among 12 EU countries where large quantities of cocaine were seized in 2020, according to a new study that shows increases in trafficking and production of the drug in Europe.
This study was released on Friday morning by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol. It shows that the European cocaine market is expanding, driven by unprecedented levels of trafficking leading to historically high availability and demand.
For the fourth consecutive year, record amounts of cocaine (214.6 tonnes) were seized in Europe in 2020, a 6% increase from 2019, suggesting high availability of the drug.
These included 520 cocaine seizures from 12 EU states - Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain - and three non-EU European countries - Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Three countries - Belgium (70 tonnes), the Netherlands (49 tonnes) and Spain (37 tonnes) - accounted for around three-quarters of the European total.
The report makes reference to a December 2020 bust of a 612kg shipment of cocaine originating from Colombia and Ecuador by Malta Customs. The shipment, valued at around €70 million, was not destined for Malta.
Since then the record has been broken yearly.
In June 8, 2021, Customs seized 740 packets, totalling 740kg of cocaine worth €100 million, hidden in boxes of bananas.
And this year, in April, a record 800kg of cocaine, having a street value of €108.2 million, was found hidden in a container at the Freeport. The shipment was en-route to Mersin in Turkey from Turbo, in Colombia, in a refrigerated cargo of 1,200 boxes of bananas.
Cocaine use increases
Cocaine is the second most commonly consumed illicit drug in the EU after cannabis, with a market retail value in 2020 estimated at €10.5 billion. Around 3.5 million Europeans report having used the drug in the past year, 14 million in their lifetime.
Malta is no exception.
Cocaine use has been on the increase in Malta. Earlier this year, figures collected by the main NGOs providing drug rehabilitation services revealed that, in 2020, almost a third of all people in treatment reported cocaine as the drug which creates the most problems for them, up from 15% in 2015.
A drop in price tag, a sense of trendiness and fear of the side effects of heroin are all contributing to the increased popularity of cocaine.
Additionally, the number of people receiving treatment for using cocaine for the first time increased from 36% in 2015 to 52% in 2020. The figures were collected from service providers Caritas, Sedqa, OASI and Mount Carmel Hospital and published in the annual Drug Situation and Responses in Malta report.
According to the service providers, a drop in price tag, a sense of trendiness and fear of the side effects of heroin are all contributing to the increased popularity of cocaine.
Europe’s involvement increases
The report noted that high levels of cocaine production in South America have resulted in the record quantities seized in Europe. Europe is also a destination and transit zone for cocaine bound for the Middle East and Asia. Most cocaine manufacturing still takes place in Colombia, Bolivia and Peru.
The new analysis describes, however, how cocaine processing is now taking place inside Europe (mainly in Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands). This indicated changes in the region’s role in the international cocaine trade.
“A large variety of individuals and criminal networks shape the complex supply of cocaine to, and within, the EU. The potential for new smokable cocaine products to emerge on the market raises concerns about future health risks,” the report said.
Most cocaine seized in Europe arrives in maritime shipping containers. Entry points of cocaine shipments are diversifying, with greater amounts seized in ports in Eastern Europe and Turkey.
The study also looked into methamphetamine - the most widely consumed synthetic stimulant drug in the world. While this still plays a relatively small role in Europe’s drug market, the latest analysis shows the growing threat posed by this drug in the region, as availability increases and use spreads to new areas, the report said.
The report presents key areas for action at EU and member state level. These included: rapidly identifying emerging health and security threats, investing in forensic and toxicological capacity to keep pace with innovation, targeting the illicit drug supply chain and reducing vulnerabilities at external borders.