Maltese smoke the least cannabis in Europe but have one of the worst heroin problems, a new report on narcotics has found.

The report, by the European drug agency EMCDDA, found that despite a relatively high number of cannabis related arrests and seizures on the island, just four per cent of Maltese have used marijuana even once in their lives.

The figure is strikingly low compared to the rest to Europe, where one-quarter have tried the drug.

On the other hand, Malta was second only to Latvia and the UK when it came to “problem” heroin users. Around eight in every 1,000 Maltese are considered to have a serious heroin addiction, more than double the amount in Italy and Germany.

Maltese port authorities and police are busy trying to tackle the problem and made a whopping 326 drug seizures last year, 15 per cent more than in 2013.

The report, released yesterday, said Maltese authorities had upped their game, with a particular focus on cocaine.

Police carried out 115 raids and other cocaine-related operations, bringing in around four kilograms from a mix of small sachets and large consignments.

Officers, together with port officials, also seized an impressive 30,375 ecstasy tablets and just over a kilo of heroin.

And, despite low consumption rates, police also carried out 156 anti-cannabis operations and arrests yielding more than 11kg of resin and green cannabis.

Not all the marijuana is being imported, however, as officers also confiscated 27 plants grown locally last year.

The number of previously unknown substances identified in Europe skyrocketed to 101 last year from fewer than 10 in 2006, with more than two being identified every week.

Although data was sketchy when it came to the availability of these substances in Malta, the agency’s scientific director, Paul Griffiths, told Times of Malta that the substances do exist on the island and are a “growing concern”.

These substances haven’t taken over in Malta yet, but they definitely exist and could become very popular if the market allows for it

“The market in Malta is such that these substances haven’t taken over yet but they definitely exist and, as we have seen across the rest of Europe, they could become very popular if the market allows for it,” he said.

The report also delves into drug purity levels across Europe, highlighting the increased trend for faster action and more potent drugs.

Heroin for instance, increased in potency to around 20 per cent from 13 per cent purity across Europe. Cocaine also increased in purity to as much as 55 per cent in some countries from around 33 per cent.

Perhaps the biggest increase came in the form of amphetamines and methamphetamines. However, the estimated use of these substances was virtually nonexistent in Malta.

Meanwhile, ecstasy makers were utilising new primary chemicals, which make for stronger pills.

This was a drastic change in Malta, Mr Griffiths added, where up until a few years ago, many ecstasy pills contained no active ingredient whatsoever.

Drugs and migrant smugglers: the war on trafficking

There is a definite link between migrant smugglers and the influx of drugs into Europe, European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopolous has said.

Speaking during the launch of the EMCDDA report, Mr Avramopolous said there was no doubt that those responsible for trafficking migrants from Africa into Europe were also using their networks to smuggle narcotics.

Asked how this could be tackled, the commissioner told Times of Malta efforts to address the phenomenon had already started between anti-narcotics agencies and those involved in border control.

However, it was clear there had to be a crackdown, with better legislation that enabled law enforcers to work faster and more effectively.

“We cannot continue to allow smugglers to take advantage of these poor people to bring drugs into Europe,” he said, adding that efforts would have to first ensure migrants’ safety and that anti-narcotics efforts would not jeopardise their lives.

The drug report highlights routes from Africa and the Middle East as being a new and major route for drug smuggling.

Although last year there was a dramatic increase in heroin production, there has yet to be a noticeable increase in the supply, suggesting traffickers and heroin suppliers have yet to team up, or smooth out kinks in the supply chain.

Mr Avramopolous also expressed concern over the growing trend of online companies offering an avenue to supply narcotics.

These, he said, had started off offering legal highs, such as synthetic cannabis, but have since branched out into illegal drugs.

He will be meeting online industry leaders to discuss solutions to the problem next week.