In Europe the amount of illegal cannabis seized from the United States and Canada is rising. An internal warning from the European Drug Agency (EUA) to member states, reported by the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (Monday edition), notes that 2024 saw a significant jump in North‑American cannabis seizures and that the trend is expected to heighten again in 2025.
At Cologne/Bonn Airport alone, German customs discovered more than ten tonnes of cannabis in air‑mail parcels last year, almost all originating from the United States. That figure represents roughly a tenfold increase compared with 2022. In Belgium, customs operations in 2025 confiscated about 21 tonnes, nearly five times the amount seized in 2024. Most of the seized batch was found in containers arriving at Antwerp from Canada. Dutch customs reported a fourfold rise, with seizures reaching approximately 60 tonnes.
Robert Patrancus, an analyst with the EUA, told the FAZ that the share of North‑American cannabis in the European market is now quite substantial. Jens Ahland, spokesman for the Cologne main customs office, described a “wave of American marijuana shipments” that has overwhelmed local authorities.
The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) confirmed to the FAZ that a “steady, significant increase” in North‑American cannabis smuggling is being observed. The German Federal Ministry of the Interior emphasised that combating internationally organised drug crime is of highest priority, as it is seen as a major driver of organised criminal activity. Accordingly, the BKA is liaising with “other European countries and international partners”. The ministry declined to comment on whether it had engaged with the Canadian and U.S. governments on this issue.
Experts identify steep price differences as the main factor driving the trend. Cannabis is generally far cheaper in North America, and wholesale prices there can be up to two‑thirds lower than in Europe. In Canada and about half of the U.S. states, cannabis has been legalised.