Jonathan Alpeyrie
Cocaine seizures in Holland were up around 17% in 2023, before dropping by 40% in 2024. What are some of the forces at work behind the ebb and flow of cocaine trafficking? What has changed in recent years?
In 2020, Western and Central Europe comprised of about 21% of the overall global demand for cocaine. Cocaine is now the second most consumed illicit drug on the old continent, right behind cannabis. This astounding comeback of the white powder is partially explained due to changing tastes among drug consumers, but also a weak European response to combating what has become a strategic issue. Europe has become an attractive destination for drug traffickers seeking further profits and lower risks. This is due to a higher market price and shorter prison sentences for possession and consumption than in the United States.
The market price differences can be quite stark. While cocaine costs approximately $28,000 a kilo in the U.S., the price per kilo in Europe exceeds $40,000 in places like Spain and France, and as much as $219,000 in Estonia.
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