Cocaine found in shrimps swimming in our rivers

SCIENTISTS were left shocked after finding traces of illegal party drugs in shrimps swimming in Britain’s rivers.

A team investigating 15 sites at five rivers in Suffolk to see what chemicals were in them discovered cocaine in every sample.

Ketamine and other pharmaceuticals were also found in shrimps.

The tests were carried out by King’s College London scientists working with the University of Suffolk. Dr Leon Barron, from King’s College, said: ‘Such regular occurrence of illicit drugs in wildlife was surprising. We might expect to see these in urban areas such as London, but not in smaller and more rural catchments.’

In all, 56 different substances were detected. Lidocaine, which is employed as a local anaesthetic in dentistry but is often used to ‘cut’ cocaine, was also found.

The scientists said the ‘source of the widespread cocaine contamination is unclear’. There are small waste water treatment plants in Suffolk which can remove up to 90 per cent of cocaine. But scientists said it was ‘unlikely’ the spreading of deactivated sewage sludge on fields was the source.

The research was published in the Environment International journal.

David Lloyd, the police and crime commissioner for Hertfordshire, says middleclass recreational drug use is responsible for gang warfare by bumping up demand.

He told the Commons’ home affairs select committee: ‘Frankly, the middle classes... who are really concerned about their fair trade coffee, don’t seem to have the same concern around the cocaine they take.’