New Zealanders Using Record Amounts of Cocaine

An analysis of five years of wastewater test results from the government’s Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) has revealed New Zealanders are using increasing amounts of cocaine, particularly in the past 18 months. ESR tests wastewater at 45 discharge points across the country to provide police with verifiable data on drug use patterns, and differences between regions. When testing for cocaine commenced in November 2018, just 600 grams per week was recorded—by June 2023 that figure had reached 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds), the highest figure ever recorded, capping a steady increase first detected in June the previous year. Throughout 2022, at least a kilogram of cocaine was consumed each week, which was a 61 percent increase on 2021’s figures....