Drug Traffickers Producing More Cocaine in Europe: EU Report

Some cocaine production has shifted from Latin America to Europe, as criminal groups explore new trafficking methods and authorities boost transatlantic cooperation, according to the latest EU drug report. Both drug seizures and drug use keep increasing in Europe, according to findings published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) on June 11.

Smuggling the cheaper coca paste or cocaine base limits losses if a shipment is intercepted. The report also suggested traffickers may be shifting more final production to Europe due to chemical shortages in Latin America and “the economic advantage of controlling the final stages of the production process in Europe.”

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