Cocaine presence in Barcelona wastewater triples in 2025

European Drug Agency report ranks the Catalan capital second in cocaine traces across the continent.

Generic image of an urban wastewater treatment plant.
IA

Generic image of an urban wastewater treatment plant.

The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) reported that cocaine levels in Barcelona's wastewater tripled in 2025, marking a 185% increase compared to the previous year.

Data from the SCORE research network, which monitors 115 cities, places Barcelona as the second city with the highest concentration, following Lleida. These figures represent a return to the consumption levels recorded in 2017.

"Europe's wastewater tells the story of a drug phenomenon that is widespread, varied, and in constant flux."

Lorraine Nolan · EUDA Executive Director
While ketamine use rose by 41% across Europe, MDMA levels dropped by 16%. Despite this decline, Spain remains among the countries with the highest concentrations of ecstasy on the continent.