In Kosovo over 10,000 drug addicts, 5,000 from cocaine

The number of drug users in Kosovo totals 400,000, while about 10,000 of them are classified as regular or drug addicts. Organisations dealing with drug users say over five thousand citizens are cocaine users, and that figure according to them is disturbing.

Several cases of arrests of narcotics possession have been reported in the past week.

In the midweek, a suspect with the intention of avoiding arrest and stopping had even hit the official police car with his car, causing even bodily harm to two police officials.

For drug-use experts, news that marijuana is scattered throughout Kosovo is not innovation.

There are over 400,000 users of various drugs in our country.

What is eyeing Safet Blakey from the <x0 Institute Labyrinth” is increasing the number of cocaine users.

Until four years ago, the number of those treated by them has been small and mainly 45-55 years old, while now cocaine users are mostly under the age of 25.

Over 15,000 drug users, according to Blakaj, are addicted to drugs every day.

Television statistics show that by 2024, some 195 pounds [9.5 kg] of heroin, 992 grams of cocaine, 103 kilograms [ 103 kg] of marijuana, and about 25 cannabis plants were confiscated.

For this amount of drugs and other types, 209 people have been arrested.

Comparing these figures to those in the preliminary year shows that in six months of this year seven times more heroin has been confiscated, compared to not six but 12 months along 2023. The confiscated cocaine has apparently less this year, nearly 1/6 of the amount compared to last year.

Last year has a markedly higher figure for persons arrested as suspected of drug connections, 859 people have been handcuffed by police.

Of course, lowering the value of confiscated drugs and persons arrested does not indicate that the situation on the ground has improved, but only the statistics of Kosovo Police work.