After cannabis, cocaine remains the most widely consumed illegal drug across Europe. The latest report from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) offers a granular view of usage patterns, based on residual traces found in urban wastewater. Spanish and Belgian cities dominate the list of highest concentrations, but the fastest growth is now shifting to new locations.
Top Cities by Cocaine Residues
Lleida, in western Catalonia, recorded the highest average level on the continent: 1,405 milligrams of cocaine per 1,000 residents. Antwerp, Belgium, followed closely with 1,382 mg, then Granada (1,238 mg), Amsterdam (1,172 mg), Liège (1,039 mg), and Brussels (1,020 mg). Santiago de Compostela also made the top ten with 1,008 mg, alongside Austria's ski resort Kufstein (998 mg), Barcelona (997 mg), and Namur in Belgium (927 mg).
Where Use Is Rising Fastest
Europe in Motion analysed growth rates among cities that registered at least 500 mg of cocaine residues per 1,000 residents. Spain emerges as the primary hotspot. Barcelona saw a 185% increase (plus 647 mg), while Lleida rose by 125% (plus 782 mg) — the steepest absolute and percentage jumps in Europe.
Elsewhere, Slovenia recorded notable absolute increases, particularly in the towns of Velenje, Domžale, and Kamnik, where growth ranged between 272 mg and 329 mg. Denmark is another expanding cluster: Esbjerg rose by 266 mg, Aalborg by 234 mg, and Copenhagen by 148 mg.
Survey Data: Who Uses Most
The EUDA also conducted a survey asking Europeans whether they had taken cocaine in the previous 12 months. Here, the picture shifts. Norway and the Netherlands reported the highest consumption rates, with at least 2.9% of adults admitting use. France followed at 2.7%, Spain at 2.5%, and Ireland at 2.4%. Among younger adults (ages 15–34), rates were higher: Norway (5.6%) and the Netherlands (5.3%) again topped the list, with Ireland at 5%.
The Atlantic Cocaine Highway
The EUDA data also highlights shifting trafficking patterns. Spain reported the largest quantity of cocaine seized in 2024 — 124 tonnes. France was second with 53.5 tonnes, its largest-ever confiscation. Meanwhile, seizures dropped significantly in Belgium (by 64%), Germany (by 45%), and the Netherlands (by 36%). Despite the overall decline in volume, the number of individual crackdowns rose to 97,000, suggesting that traffickers are adapting their routes and methods rather than reducing shipments.
Competition within the cocaine market remains a major driver of violent crime across Europe, including gang-related homicides. Traffickers increasingly use smaller ports, at-sea transfers via manned and unmanned semi-submersibles, drones, and sophisticated concealment techniques. The final delivery stage often involves small boats landing on remote beaches or marinas in Portugal and Spain to evade detection.
In April 2024, a large Europol-coordinated operation targeted the so-called Atlantic Cocaine Highway, focusing on the eastern Atlantic corridor between Spain's Canary Islands and Portugal's Azores.
For context on Spain's evolving role in European affairs, see our coverage of Pope Leo XIV in Barcelona: Human Castle Greets Pontiff at Youth Vigil and Spain's Inflation Holds at 3.2% for Third Month.
