The European Commission has proposed a new plan to fight drug trafficking and quickly alert member states about new psychotropic substances circulating in Europe.
BRUSSELS: The European Commission has unveiled a new plan to combat drug trafficking and quickly alert member states about new psychotropic substances.
The plan aims to push for a coordinated EU-wide response to a problem primarily handled by individual member states.
EU internal commissioner Magnus Brunner said criminal networks flooding streets with cheap drugs will not be tolerated.
“The EU will not tolerate criminal networks flooding our streets with cheap drugs, fuelling violent crime, and undermining health and security in Europe,” he said.
The issue has been brought back into the spotlight by recent incidents, including a murder in France.
The commission wants to strengthen cooperation between customs services and private parcel delivery companies to improve drug detection.
It also plans to task the European Union Drugs Agency with identifying new psychotropic drugs and issuing quick alerts about their spread.
The agency reports that synthetic products derived from cannabis, opioids and cathinones are gaining ground in Europe.
Cocaine remains the most consumed illicit stimulant, used by some 4.6 million people aged 15 to 64 in 2024.
