This week, InSight Crime’s Co-Founder, Jeremy McDermott spoke to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle to highlight Europe’s growing role in the cocaine trade. InSight Crime’s global network of analysts allows the organization to offer leading analysis of illicit markets and criminal groups.
The quantities of cocaine shipped to Europe are booming. Last year, authorities in Belgium seized 116 tons of cocaine at the Port of Antwerp alone. What’s more, wholesale cocaine prices in Europe can reach $40,000 per kilogram, almost double the prices traffickers can fetch in the United States.
“The most lucrative chain is the moving of cocaine from Latin America to Europe,” said McDermott. “This is where the big money is. This is where everyone wants to get involved.”
Read the 2023 Cocaine Seizure Round-Up >
Read our European cocaine investigation >