Italy Italian authorities seize 'record' cocaine haul floating in the Med Police suspect that the packages had been dropped at sea by a cargo ship to be recovered later. 17/04/2023
Culture news Putting the E in Easter: Drug bunnies seized in Belgium Chocolate rabbits are a delicious Easter treat for children all around the world. But some bunnies seized in Belgium are far less kid-friendly... 07/04/2023
France Night-time shooting in Marseille believed to be gang related At least three people died in three separate shooting incidents in the crime-plagued French city of Marseille overnight Sunday to Monday, police said. 03/04/2023
Health news Cocaine use in Europe: How do EU countries compare? The production of cocaine is no longer an offshore affair. With the increased availability of the drug in the EU, what does it mean for consumption? 28/03/2023
USA Former head of Mexican federal police convicted in the US The highest-ranking Mexican official ever to be tried in the United States was convicted of taking bribes by a New York court. Genaro Garcia Luna denies the allegations. 22/02/2023
Belgium Record cocaine seizures in Belgian port of Antwerp last year The Belgian port of Antwerp takes over from Rotterdam as Europe's leading port for cocaine seizures 10/01/2023
No Comment Watch: Peruvian police get 'festive' in a routine drugs bust A gang of drug dealers in Peru get a nasty surprise when Santa and a merry band of elves break down their door, cuff them and seize their merchandise in a highly unusual raid. 20/12/2022
Spain Spanish police dismantle gang smuggling drugs disguised as Ukraine aid The group had allegedly "pretended to be part of a solidarity convoy" in order to avoid police and border controls. 06/12/2022
Europe News Blow for Belgium as it struggles to dispose of record cocaine haul With recent large-scale confiscations in the cargo port of Antwerp, the authorities expect that the 100-tonne mark will be surpassed by the end of 2022. 21/11/2022
No Comment Watch: Soldiers in Ecuador tackle prison riot Soldiers enter the Guayas 1 prison facilities in the southwestern port city Guayaquil after six police were wounded in the latest prison riot to hit Ecuador. A source at the prison authority who asked not to be named told AFP that the police officers were confronted by inmates with guns and explosiv 03/11/2022
Russia Russia rejects appeal against Brittney Griner's prison sentence The US basketball player was convicted in Moscow on drug charges in August. 25/10/2022
World News Europe hit by 'cocaine wave' sparking a rise in violence, Europol says As coca leaf plantations increased by at least 43% since 2020, organised crime networks have become better connected and increasingly violent. 22/10/2022
World News Six EU countries agree to boost cooperation against drug crimes The EU countries will also work more closely with Latin American nations in the fight against organised crime. 07/10/2022
Greece Greek police arrest dozens in Athens university drugs raid Left-wing groups have accused the government of exploiting the incident to justify the presence of police at universities. 28/09/2022
Spain Spain arrests 32 allegedly linked to Italy’s ’Ndrangheta mafia gang The group is accused of large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. 20/09/2022
Italy Police discover €1.4m of cocaine inside wheelchair upholstery The wheelchair user reportedly stood up and walked away unassisted when the drugs were discovered. 02/09/2022
Iran Iran jails two Swedish citizens for alleged drug trafficking Tensions between Tehran and Stockholm soared after a Swedish court convicted a former Iranian official of war crimes during the 1980s. 30/08/2022
Sport Brittney Griner pleads guilty to Russian drug charges, denies intent The athlete was detained in February after cannabis oil was allegedly found in her airport luggage. 07/07/2022
Sport US basketball star Griner appears in Russian court on drugs charges The two-time Olympic champion and Phoenix Mercury starter is facing up to 10 years in prison if convicted. 01/07/2022
Culture news Fake MDMA sold at UK festivals due to Brexit and lockdowns says study A new study has found that caffeine and other amphetamine-like chemicals replaced MDMA in a large portion of pills in the UK last year. 10/06/2022