The amount of cocaine seized annually by law enforcement authorities in England and Wales has reached its highest level since records began in 1973, according to Home Office statistics.
Almost 10,000 kg of cocaine was confiscated in 2018-19, up from 3,338 kg the previous year, and the vast majority of seizures were made by Border Force officers, as rising demand for the class A drug in the UK appeared to fuel increased imports.
The quantity of crack cocaine seized in 2018-19 also reached its highest level since 2004, with 63kg of the highly addictive substance confiscated by authorities – a 73% annual rise.
Despite efforts to eradicate coca crops, global cocaine production remains at its highest level since records began, and the UK is one of the main eventual destinations for exports of the drug from Latin America.
The then security minister, Ben Wallace, warned earlier this year that the UK was fast becoming the biggest consumer of cocaine in Europe, and deaths from misuse have doubled since 2015. It is believed the illicit cocaine market across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is worth £5bn.
Scientists at King’s College London estimated earlier this year that 23kg of the class A drug is consumed every day in London, more than Europe’s next three biggest cocaine-consuming cities combined. Their wastewater analysis also found cocaine purity is at record levels.
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https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/05/cocaine-seizures-in-england-and-wales-at-highest-level-since-1973 