The EU drug trade generates an estimated €24 billion ($28.3 billion) in revenue for organised crime groups, according to a new report from Europol.
Noting that the drugs trade is the largest illicit market in the EU, the study reveals that 35% of all organised crime gangs operating in member states are involved in the production, trafficking or distribution of narcotics, and that 75% of these groups deal in more than one illegal substance.
While the trade in cannabis remains the largest drugs market in the EU by far, the report reveals that the trade in new psychoactive substances (NPS) such as synthetic cannabinoid Spice is the most dynamic drugs market in the EU.
Over the past five years, 620 new synthetic substances were detected in member states.
The study also found the availability of synthetic opioid fentanyl and its derivatives has risen sharply in the 28-nation bloc
Twenty-four new fentanyl derivatives have been discovered for sale on Europe’s drug market since 2012, including 14 identified since January 2016.
Commenting on the contents of the report, Europol’s Deputy Executive Director of Operations Wil van Gemert said: “The illicit drugs market remains the largest criminal market in the EU.
“More organised crime groups are active in the production, trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs than any other phenomenon.
“Moreover, drug markets are increasingly diversified and globalised, and interrelate more and more with other illicit and criminal markets and activities.
“The latter include, although not systematically, terrorism. Fortunately, in recent years cooperation between law enforcement authorities to fight serious and organised crime, be it drugs or any other crime area, is improving and providing grounds for good results in dismantling organised crime groups and networks.”
Drugs are now widely traded on the dark web, according to the report, which notes that hidden illicit marketplaces offer the perfect environment for the distribution of not only narcotics, but also firearms, child sexual exploitation material, fake consumer goods and counterfeit ID.
It is estimated that around 57% of all dark web transactions are related to drugs, and that the top 1% most-successful vendors are responsible for 51.5% of the trade in narcotics on hidden marketplaces, according to research from Carnegie Mellon University.
“[Dark web] marketplaces are attractive platforms for clients and vendors alike, the Europol report notes.
“They provide an anonymous and secure environment to trade all types of illegal drugs and other illegal commodities.
“The use of cryptocurrencies allows vendors and clients to exchange payments with little trace and represent a significant hurdle in the attribution of transactions to specific users.
“The trust and reputation system used by [dark web] marketplaces emulates those established by legal trading platforms on the surface web.
“The trade in illegal drugs on [dark web] marketplaces has resulted in a significant increase in the use of post and parcel services to traffic drugs across the EU.”
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