The European Union (EU) on June 9 published a report showing that drug trafficking gangs in Europe are changing their business models to adapt to new realities, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. forcing countries to impose restrictions to control the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Mr. Alexis Goosdeel, Director of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), said that despite the COVID-19 epidemic, the drug trafficking market in Europe is still very active. According to him, drug buyers and sellers have “communicated with each other” on the online platform. Through online advertising, people who need to buy drugs can receive goods right at home. More sophisticated, drug buyers and sellers also use encrypted messaging applications.
Mr. Goosdeel affirmed that this situation shows that in order to be able to deal with future disasters, it is necessary to quickly change the perception that drugs are not a problem of only one person, but that it is affecting people. community at large in more ways. In the report, EMCDDA warned that drug addicts now have access to a wider range of drugs, with higher purity. In 2020 alone, 46 new drugs were discovered in the European Union (EU). In the context of many countries imposing restrictive measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic, whereby, discos and bars must close at night, reducing the drugs used on special occasions. parties such as ecstasy, consumption of some has increased significantly, especially the purchase and sale of the compound benzodiazepine, often prescribed for sedation. In addition, the EMCDDA report also noted that the authorities had seized a record amount of cocaine in 2019, with 213 tons, much higher than 177 tons in 2018, and the number of people who had to detox for the first time as well. Strongly increasing.
You must log in to post a comment.