Tarragona remains second in Europe for presence of cocaine in wastewater

The presence of cocaine in Tarragona’s wastewater remains the second highest of cities in Europe, only after Antwerp, according to the latest data published by the European Drugs Agency (EUDA).

The southern Catalan city is considered one of the main ports of entry for cocaine, explaining its particularly high presence there.

The daily mean quantity of cocaine detected in studies on Tarragona’s wastewater in 2024 was 1,482.91mg per 1,000 population. On weekends, this increased to 1,553.64mg per 1,000 population. 

The drug’s presence in Barcelona's wastewater decreased by 43% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Spain remains near the top of European rankings for the presence of cocaine in wastewater, only behind Belgium and the Netherlands. 

The daily mean of cocaine detected in Barcelona in 2024 was 349.44mg per 1,000 population. Weekend and weekday data are very similar in the Catalan capital, with figures peaking at 349.85mg per 1,000 population on weekends and 348.9mg per 1,000 population during the week. 

Lleida had a higher cocaine use than Barcelona when adjusted for population also, with a mean of 623.86mg per 1,000 population per day detected. Unlike in Tarragona and Barcelona, Lleida’s quantities detected were higher during the week than on the weekend, with 666.62mg per 1,000 population found on working days, compared to 591.79mg per 1,000 population detected on weekends.

Meanwhile, ketamine use continues to increase in Barcelona although much less than in 2023 when its detection soared by 77.2%. However, the European drugs agency considers that levels have "stabilized," since in 2024 its detection increased by only 7%.

Among all cities in Europe, the highest mass loads of the cannabis metabolite THC-COOH were found in wastewater in cities in Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal.

Tarragona had the highest presence of THC-COOH loads among Catalan cities detected with a daily mean of 228.9mg per 1,000 population detected, compared to 220.68mg per 1,000 population in Barcelona, and 121.31mg per 1,000 population in Lleida. 

The annual wastewater study published by the EUDA reveals an overall increase in MDMA, cocaine, and amphetamines across Europe and a decrease in cannabis, although with differences depending on the city. "This year's study, covering a record 128 European cities, paints a clear picture of a drug problem that is both widespread and complex, with all six substances detected in almost all the cities analyzed," EUDA executive director Alexis Goosdeel said in a statement.