“Ecstasy” seizures reached record levels in 2024, surpassing pre-COVID-19 pandemic highs.

• The quantity of “ecstasy” (MDMA) seized worldwide increased by 13 percent from 2023 to 2024, more than doubling compared with 2021 levels, following a pandemic-related decline.
• Increases were widespread in 2024 – reported from Africa (61 per cent), Europe (55 per cent), Oceania (36 per cent) and the Americas (35 per cent) – while only seizures in Asia recorded a decline (-34 per cent) after quadrupling in 2023.
• Europe continued to account for the largest share of seizures between 2020 and 2024 - at 40 per cent over the entire period - although this share has declined from more than 60 per cent between 1998 and 2003.
• Overall, 67 countries (62 per cent) reported increases of “ecstasy” seizures in 2024 as compared to a year earlier, exceeding the 41 countries reporting declines (38 per cent).