World News for Students of English

19-06-2026 15:00

A new European study shows that cocaine use is growing very fast. Scientists looked at wastewater in different cities to find out where people use this illegal drug the most.

Cities in Spain and Belgium have the highest numbers. The top city is Lleida in Spain, followed closely by Antwerp and Amsterdam. The data shows that Spain is the main hotspot, and cities like Barcelona show a big increase in drug use. A survey showed that Norway and the Netherlands had the most users, especially among young people.

This drug market causes a lot of gang violence and crime. Drug smugglers are now using smaller boats, drones, and new routes to bring drugs into Europe through small ports and quiet beaches. Recently, a big police operation stopped a famous sea route called the Atlantic Cocaine Highway and arrested 54 people.

Difficult words: wastewater (dirty water from houses, toilets, and factories), hotspot (a specific place or area where there is a lot of a particular activity), smuggler (a person who secretly and illegally moves goods, money, or drugs into or out of a country).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.