Cocaine sold on the streets here is the least pure, but the second most expensive in Europe.
Irish researchers found the cocaine was the most adulterated out of 25 countries, packed with a wide range of substitute stimulants.
And not only were cocaine users in Ireland getting the worst product in Europe, they were also paying the most — outside Luxembourg.
In what is the first such research of its type in Ireland, 10 experts attached to the State’s Forensic Science Laboratory examined the purity of both cocaine and heroin between 2010 and 2012.
They also examined street prices for the drugs during that two-year period, using information supplied by the Garda National Drugs Unit.
The scientists at the laboratory selected 217 cocaine cases and 239 heroin cases between April 2010 and March 2012.
It found that the average purity of cocaine was 15% in 2010; 19% in 2011; and 17% in the first three months of 2012. The highest purity was 68%; the lowest 0.2%.
It said there was a large variation in the purity of cocaine, compared to heroin. There was a large number of packs (almost a third) where the cocaine was less than 5% pure, with roughly another third between 16% and 35% pure.
Source: Cormac O’Keeffe, Irish Examiner, 07/06/14
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