European ganglords are smuggling ecstasy into Latin America in exchange for free cocaine, a report has found.
Dutch crime syndicates have seized on the growing market, transporting large shipments of the drug via postal services and couriers on commercial flights.
Seizure data reported to the World Customs Organization (WCO) found that between 2019 and 2022 alone, at least 1.2 tonnes of ecstasy, also known as MDMA, was trafficked from EU countries to Latin America.
Evidence is emerging that Brazilian organised crime groups such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital, a former prison gang and now Latin America’s largest criminal network, are offering cocaine for smuggled ecstasy in barter deals.
The joint report from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and Europol, the EU’s law-enforcement wing, found that several such deals took place in 2020 between criminals from the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina and Europe.
Investigations from law enforcement agencies in June 2022 uncovered how Dutch criminals had attempted to hide an estimated 500,000 ecstasy tablets in mobile home units, vehicles and compressors destined for ports in Chile.
It marks a worrying development in the European drug trade, which has been dominated by cocaine shipments exported from Latin America.
The Netherlands is the manufacturing hub for ecstasy, which is produced in industrial-scale laboratories using unregulated chemicals sourced from China.
Europe accounted for nearly half (43 per cent) of the global quantity of MDMA seized by police between 2018 and 2022.
The European MDMA market is estimated to be worth at least £496 million (€594 million), corresponding to around 72.4 million tablets taken in the EU each year.
The price of ecstasy has remained stable over the past decade, allowing it to remain the drug of choice at nightclubs and music festivals, the report said.
So-called super strength variants of ecstasy have also emerged in recent years, with up to 170mg of MDMA contained in a single tablet.
Social media and encrypted messaging apps have accelerated the sale of drug cocktails known as “tucibi” and “pink cocaine”, which contain a combination of MDMA, ketamine and psychoactive substances.
Catherine De Bolle, Europol’s executive director, said: “Europe is a key player in the synthetic drugs market and a global supplier of MDMA, both producing and trafficking for domestic and international markets.
“Legal business structures are often exploited to obtain chemicals and equipment for drug production, which is characterised by continuous innovation.”
Alexis Goosdeel, EUDA’s executive director, said: “Understanding the evolving MDMA market is essential for developing effective responses.
“MDMA remains a popular drug in nightlife and music festival settings, so ecstasy tablets that contain high amounts of MDMA, or unexpected ingredients, pose serious risks.”