Cocaine crimes surge as consumption surges across England

Summarised from Guardian World's report · Updated 25 Oct, 07:57 · Archive

Police in England have recorded a 10% rise in cocaine-linked crimes since 2019 as consumption surges.

British police are recording a growing number of crimes linked to cocaine, including assaults, domestic abuse and dangerous driving, as figures show consumption has surged across England. A Guardian investigation found police forces across Britain recorded a 10% rise in crime rates associated with the class A drug since 2019, while the Home Office estimates cocaine usage at sites across England has risen by 26% since 2021.

Police recorded at least 29,922 crimes mentioning cocaine in 2025, equivalent to 63.4 for every 100,000 people, up from 57.7 cases per 100,000 in 2019. Wastewater analysis suggests people in England consumed 123,000kg of cocaine in 2024-25, equivalent to roughly 2.5bn lines of cocaine at an estimated street value of almost £10bn. Experts have warned that cocaine use can cause situations to escalate, potentially leading to violent incidents.

The rise in consumption in recent years can be partly explained by historically low costs, while purity levels have remained high. Crime survey data suggests the number of people reporting cocaine use in the past year has remained flat or fallen slightly since the pandemic, suggesting that existing users are taking the drug more frequently rather than large numbers of new users starting to use it.

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• Cocaine-linked crimes on the rise in Britain as consumption surgesExclusive: Wastewater analysis in England suggests people took roughly 2.5bn lines of drug in one year Ageing users and record deaths – the data behind Britain’s £9.8bn-a-year cocaine habit Pubs, festivals and workplaces: how cocaine has become an everyday habit British police are recording a growing number of crimes linked to cocaine, including assaults, domestic abuse and dangerous driving, as figures show consumption has surged across England. A Guardian investigation has found police forces across Britain recorded a 10% rise in crime rates associated with the class A drug since 2019…Guardian World · 25 Oct, 07:00
• How cocaine conquered the UK: in pubs, festivals and workplaces the drug has become an everyday habitPreviously considered a middle-class drug, price drops have made cocaine more widely available, and created a new set of problems Cocaine-linked crimes on the rise in Britain as consumption surges Ageing users and record deaths – the data behind Britain’s £9.8bn-a-year cocaine habit Lisa* is watching Scissor Sisters at a festival in the Lake District, a can of cider in hand, dancing along to the music on a sunny afternoon. The 30-year-old has a few days off from her job as a veterinary nurse in Gateshead, where she lives with her fiance. She loves going to festivals, especially as “I love…The Guardian · 25 Oct, 07:00

In this story: England · Britain · Home Office · Guardian

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