Quantity of cocaine seized in EU countries has almost doubled in past three years 

The European Union Drug Agency said 419 tonnes of cocaine was seized in 2023, compared to 323 tonnes in 2022 — up 30%.

The quantity of cocaine seized in EU countries has almost doubled in the past three years, according to the bloc’s drugs agency.

The European Union Drug Agency said 419 tonnes of cocaine was seized in 2023, compared to 323 tonnes in 2022 — up 30%.

Figures previously produced by the agency showed there were 303 tonnes seized in 2021 and 211 tonnes in 2020.

The agency said cocaine was the second most common problem drug for people seeking treatment for the first time, accounting for 26% of all new entrants.

Irish figures show cocaine was the most common problem drug for new entrants in 2023, accounting for 46% of all new entrants.

The agency said that, given there was a long gap between first use and seeking treatment, there could be a “surge” in treatment demand for cocaine in the coming years.

In its European Union Drug Report 2025, the agency also reports:

• Increased availability of synthetic (artificial) cathinones, with “unprecedented imports and seizures”, resulting in some users not knowing what they are buying;
• A rise in the potency of cannabis resin, with a doubling in the amount of the active THC ingredient over the last decade, and a wide range of other high-potency cannabis products, such as edibles and extracts;
• Wider availability of semi-synthetic cannabinoids, a combination of chemicals designed to mimic the effects of cannabis and cannabis itself, including HHC, seen in Ireland;
• Rising availability of fake medicines containing nitazenes, the highly potent synthetic opioid that caused emergencies in Dublin and Cork among the homeless heroin-using communities in late 2023 and in a number of Irish prisons in 2024;
• Greater diversity in drug polices in Europe, with Germany, Luxembourg, Malta and Netherlands, allowing for home growing of cannabis, non-profit growing clubs and cannabis use in private — but the European Union Drug Agency urges the policies be evaluated to grasp their impact on health and security.

The agency said the availability of high-potency cannabis extracts and edibles was of “particular concern”, as they had been linked to acute drug-toxicity presentations in hospital emergency departments.

The report said that, in addition, some cannabis products may be adulterated with potent synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids.

'In Ireland, nitazenes were mis-sold as heroin in 2013 and as benzodiazepines in 2024, resulting in inadvertent consumption and multiple overdoses,' report said. Picture: Leah Farrell/ RollingNews.ie

It said many of the semi-synthetic products involved HHC, with hospital cases typically involving “young people” after consuming jelly sweets or other edibles.

The agency said despite the crackdown on opium production by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the production and trade in heroin has continued, which it said was due to “significant opium stocks”.

It said the sizeable profits for organised crime groups from the cannabis trade has resulted in violence between competing gangs.

In relation to synthetic opioids, such as nitazene, it said: “In Ireland, nitazenes were mis-sold as heroin in 2023 and as benzodiazepines in 2024, resulting in inadvertent consumption and multiple overdoses.” 

The report said countries with large container ports, that were being used by cocaine traffickers, were experiencing “high levels of drug related crime”, including corruption of port staff, intimidation and violence.

The MV Matthew, where 2.25 tonnes of cocaine was seized in September 2023. Picture: Larry Cummins 

It said Columbia, Brazil and Ecuador were estimated to have contributed to the increase in cocaine trafficked into Europe.

It said in addition to commercial containers, trafficking gangs used other methods in a bid to evade detection.

“For example, in September 2023, Ireland seized 2.25 tonnes of cocaine from a cargo ship off its southern course,” the report said, referring to the MV Matthew, prosecutions in relation to which are before the criminal courts.

Launching the report, Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for internal affairs and migration, said: “The illicit drug trade poses a severe threat to the health and security of our citizens. It fosters an environment of intimidation and corruption, undermining the fabric of our communities, businesses and institutions. The fierce rivalry among criminal networks not only heightens gang violence and homicides but also increasingly involves the recruitment of minors into criminal activities.” 

European Union Drug Agency executive director Alexis Goosdeel said: “Amid global instability and fast-changing drug trends, Europe faces multiple challenges that put its citizens at risk. The rise of highly potent substances and more complex patterns of drug use is placing health and security systems under strain.”