Cocaine-linked crimes on the rise in Britain as consumption surges

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Who published it, and when

How it spread - 4 original reports

1. Sun, 25 October 2026

   2 reports
   • The Guardian World07:00first to report
     Cocaine-linked crimes on the rise in Britain as consumption surges

     Exclusive: 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...

   • The Guardian World07:00
     Ageing users and record deaths – the data behind Britain’s £9.8bn-a-year cocaine habit

     Sewage samples and crime statistics paint a picture of established users taking more cocaine, more often Cocaine-linked crimes on the rise in Britain as consumption surges Pubs, festivals and workplaces: how cocaine has become an everyday habit From pub toilets and private parties to football terraces and far-right marches, cocaine has become a familiar presence across modern Britain. Deaths linked to the drug have risen to record levels, while its supply supports a multibillion-pound criminal...

2. Tue, 3 November 2026

   1 report
   • thespiritsbusiness.com12:30
     One in five UK drinkers at increasing-risk levels

     Roughly eight million UK drinkers are consuming alcohol at increasing-risk levels, a group four times larger than the high-risk population.

3. Wed, 4 November 2026

   1 report
   • The Guardian World15:09
     Cocaine overtakes heroin as leading cause of drug deaths in England and Wales

     Charities say government ‘must act now’ with cocaine-specific deaths eight times higher than in 2010 Cocaine has overtaken heroin as the biggest cause of drug deaths in England and Wales, figures from the Office for National Statistics show. The government “must act now to reverse this deadly trend”, charities have said, with 1,233 deaths caused by cocaine last year. Continue reading...