London’s drug business has seen something surprising.
Due to the strict Coronavirus lockdown restrictions, dealers have had more difficulty in getting their product out to the public. Additionally, police have increased the number of stop-and-searches for drivers to ensure they have valid reasons for being on the road. Due to these preventative measures, the price of a kilogram of cocaine (2.2 lbs) has skyrocketed from £36,000 to £40,000: the equivalent of $48,941.80 USD.
The below text from one drug dealer shares their predicament:
This surge in price was anticipated a week earlier. Drug dealers unsurprisingly had difficulty selling their product to users concerned about their health — how sanitary are these drug manufacturers? — leading to massive drops in drug prices, including marijuana. Now that the lockdown is in place, street dealers have near vanished, and heightened police presence is an encouraging reason to stay indoors. Dealers were forced to take plummeting business on the nose, but now it seems sales may be on the upswing.
Who’s purchasing cocaine during this pandemic? Drugs like cocaine are typically ‘social,’ used mainly at parties, so it may seem surprising cocaine still has a market despite the absence of public gatherings. According to an anonymous cocaine dealer who spoke to Sky News, users tend to be bored Londoners who are looking to break the monotony of their quarantined lives. In fact, this dealer claims he has been busier than usual even with the exorbitant pricing. With the numbers of confirmed cases climbing, it looks like we can expect drug prices to go up with the curve.
The earnings of drug dealers aren’t always used nefariously: read about this good-hearted coke dealer here…
