Malta ranks 5th in quantity of cannabis resin seized throughout Europe

Maltese officials recorded the fifth highest quantity of cannabis resin seized throughout Europe, with over 17,366 kilograms found over 22 seizures, according to the 2020 European Drug report.

In 2018, 1.3 million drug seizures were reported in Europe. Cannabis products were the most frequently seized drug type, with 668,032 kilograms worth of cannabis resin seized throughout the union. Malta seized 2.6% of total cannabis resin found in Europe.

A whopping 181 tonnes of cocaine was seized in the European Union throughout 2018, making it the highest ever level recorded. The quantity of heroin seized also increased to 9.7 tonnes, up by 4.5 tonnes from 2017.

Cocaine and heroin purity varied highly across Europe. The average purity of cocaine at retail level varied from 23% to 87%, with cocaine seeing an overall upward trend over the past decade despite stable retail prices. Heroin price and purity have also stabilised, with purity remaining at a relatively high level. 

While the report illustrates the situation of drug users, dealers, and law enforcement among Member States, this year's report shed light on changing trends due to COVID-19. Restrictive measures led to "signs of declining interest in substances like MDMA and cocaine that are commonly used in social settings, which were not operational during lockdowns," as well as increased interest in online sales using darkweb markets.

The report is published yearly by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).