Antwerp 'Crowned' Europe's Cocaine Capital for Second Straight Time

Expert analyses reveal the prevalent use of illicit substances like cocaine, ketamine, and 'esctasy' in Europe, especially in major European coastal cities with seaports, risking a major crisis.

Belgium’s port city of Antwerp has claimed the dubious honor of being "Europe’s cocaine capital" for the second time.

That is the verdict of a report by the European Union (EU) drugs agency in conjunction with the SCORE group — a network analyzing sewage across Europe.

The report is a compilation of wastewater analyses conducted in 88 cities across the EU’s 23 nations and Turkiye, which has a population of roughly 55.6 million.

The data revealed a spike in cocaine consumption, along wth ketamine and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or “Ecstasy”). The study indicated that consumption trends for amphetamines and cannabis were imprecise.

According to the experts, wastewater analysis offers valuable insights into drug use prevalence in a particular area.

Following the findings, the director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Alexis Goosdeel, said the report gives an “early warning of emerging health threats and shifting trends."

Antwerp kept its place as Europe's leading cocaine consumer, with 1,721 milligrams detected per 1,000 people daily — although that was a decrease from 2022's figures.

Authorities seized a record-breaking 116 tons of cocaine in the port of Antwerp in 2023, six tons more than in 2022, Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem announced in January.

"The fight against international drug trafficking requires a lot of expertise and energy from our customs," Van Peteghem said "I can only emphasize my great thanks and pride for that. Especially since this fight is just one of the many components of customs' remit."

Percent change in drug seizures in the European Union over the last decade

Drug	Quantity Seized in %
Cocaine	416
Cannabis herb	260
Methamphetamine	135
Heroin	126
Cannabis resin	77
Amphetamine	42

Source: EMCDDA

Franky De Keyzer, chief of Antwerp's public prosecutor's office, admitted a week ago that Dutch criminal gangs are overrunning the port.

The EMCDDA chief said the study demonstrated “growing similarities in drug habits between large and small cities.”

The top five locations with increased cocaine use are coastal cities, including Antwerp in Belgium, Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Tarragona in Spain. Among the top-five, only the Dutch city of Leeuwarden is situated inland.

The skyrocketing demand for cocaine fuels alarming levels of gang violence, the EU drug agency warned earlier this month.

EU Drug Market's Financial Impact

© Photo : European Monitoring Cener for Drugs and Drug Addiction

Europe’s illicit drugs market is estimated to have a turnover of at least €31 billion annually, according to EMCDDA.

Also disturbing is the growing involvement of minors in drug-peddling, with some even resorting to gun violence.

Ports authorities in Antwerp and Rotterdam have witnessed numerous cases of adolescents being recruited to extract cocaine hidden inside shipping containers in exchange for cash rewards.