Londoners are taking more cocaine every day than Barcelona, Amsterdam and Berlin combined

Londoners are taking more cocaine that Barcelona, Amsterdam and Berlin combined, it has been revealed.

The cocaine market in the UK’s capital is worth an estimated £1 billion a year and those who live in London are taking more of the drug than other major European cities on a daily basis. 

Tests by forensic scientists at King’s College London University revealed that Londoners consumer 23kg of the Class A drug every day.

The scientists looked at waste water in the capital and tested it for the compound produced when the body breaks down cocaine, known as benzoylecgonine (BE).

While the average daily amount in London was 23kg, Barcelona had 12.7kg, Amsterdam had 4.6kg, while Berlin also had the same. 

The findings show that London’s cocaine equates to more than eight tons. 

Speaking to Sky News today, Dr Leon Barron, forensic scientist at King’s College London said that researchers found there was a sustained use throughout the working week, and a slight rise at the weekends. 

He added: ‘That is in contrast to other cities where you see a very marked recreational use at the weekend, and so cocaine is an everyday drug in London.’ 

The figures produced do not include the other items which the Class A drug is frequently cut with, and relates solely to pure cocaine. 

Bristol was the other UK city to be included in the test and results showed that the city had more users of cocaine per head of population. 

Tests showed it came out highest of the other 75 European cities which were tested.  

Previous figures show that cocaine consumption in the capital declined between 2011 and 2015.