Wholesale drug prices and purity – investment in drug supply indicators
Authors
Claudia Costa Storti, EMCDDA-OEDT
Tony Saggers, SOCA
Abstract
Cocaine retail prices have dropped significantly since 2001 in the UK, making street
cocaine much cheaper. Have retail dealers’ profit margins declined proportionally?
This paper analyses the recent evolution of the UK retail margins, stressing the
importance of analyzing wholesale drug prices and purity, to assist with estimating
retailers’ profits. Issues such as the way to proceed in Europe in the collection process;
the type of information required, the techniques mostly used and; the main actors
involved are analyzed. Finally, a brief summary of the current “state of the art” of the
data available in European countries and their collection procedures will be provided,.
This study is the summary of two years of work developed by the European network of
experts on wholesale drug prices, lead by the EMCDDA, in close cooperation with
SOCA and Europol.
Claudia Costa Storti [Claudia.Costa-Storti@emcdda.europa.eu]