Crime - Europol reports record quantities: more and more cocaine smuggled into Europe
Cocaine smuggling to Europe continues to increase according to Europol's analyses. The record levels of global cocaine production are reflected in the large quantities currently being seized in Europe, a Europol spokesperson told the German Press Agency in The Hague. The violence associated with the trade is also on the rise.
Approximately 70% of cocaine comes to Europe via the ports, primarily in Antwerp and Rotterdam, according to Europol. At the same time, criminal organizations are increasingly targeting smaller ports to bypass controls.
Over 300 Tonnes of Cocaine seized in the past year
Illegal drugs worth over €31 billion are traded in the EU each year, according to Europol. Cannabis is the most commonly traded drug, with approximately €12 billion. Cocaine follows in second place, with approximately €11.6 billion.
In the past year, over 300 tonnes of cocaine were seized in Europe's ports. In Antwerp alone, investigators secured a record 121 tonnes of cocaine – about ten percent more than the previous year. In the Netherlands, around 60 tonnes were secured. The individual seizures, according to Europol's analysis, are becoming increasingly large. For example, in Rotterdam in the past year, the largest single seizure was made: around 8000 kg of cocaine worth around €600 million in a container of bananas.
The successes of drug enforcement agencies show that investigators are gaining more insight into the workings of criminal organizations, the spokesperson said. This was, among other things, due to the cracking of criminal digital communication networks such as Encrochat. Europol recently identified the 821 most dangerous criminal networks in the EU.
Europol also warns of the increasing violence related to cocaine trafficking. "The large profits from cocaine trafficking have attracted many criminal networks in the EU to get involved," the spokesperson said. The competition is leading to increasingly violent confrontations. Europol records more murders, shootouts, bomb attacks, kidnappings, torture, and arson.
- Europolitical analysis indicates that a significant portion of the seized 300 tonnes of cocaine in Europe's ports over the past year originated from global productions, with major entry points being Antwerp and Rotterdam.
- Europol's report reveals an alarming trend of criminal organizations targeting smaller European ports to circumvent control measures, while Drug Enforcement Agencies continue to make large-scale seizures, such as the 8000 kg found in Rotterdam.
- The EU becomes a battleground for competing criminal networks involved in cocaine trafficking, leading to a rise in associated violence, with Europol noting an increase in murders, shootouts, bomb attacks, kidnappings, torture, and arson.
