New report explores links between drug markets and gun violence in the EU

The links between drug markets and gun violence in the EU are explored today in a new report from the EMCDDA and the Flemish Peace Institute. The analysis responds to a need for further research into the issue, at a time of rising drug-related violence in Europe. On average, over a quarter (28%) of the firearms seizures in Europe are estimated to have occurred in the context of drug trafficking, with this figure close to a half (44%) in some EU Member States (UNODC). The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs has emphasised the need to address the links between the illicit trafficking in drugs and…