Since March 2008, mephedrone seizures have been reported in 22 Member States and two other countries that report to the EMCDDA. The largest single seizure of mephedrone in Europe occurred in the Netherlands in October 2009 when more than 130 kilograms of mephedrone (equalling approximately 260 000 tablets) were seized from a tableting site and four related storage locations. However, most of the Member States reported small- to medium-sized seizures. Two countries — Sweden and the United Kingdom — reported analyses for seizures by year and/or by semester. Sweden provided a breakdown for 2008 (82 seizures amounting to approximately 4.7 kg) and for 2009 (346 seizures totalling 8.7 kg). The United Kingdom reported an increasing trend in seizures: from 2 in 2008 to 20 in the first half of 2009 to 600 in the second half of 2009. Over 97 % of the seizures in the United Kingdom occurred in powder form and amounted to more than 37 kg.

In addition to seizures, mephedrone was detected either through formal drug analysis schemes or ad-hoc test purchases in at least six Member States. In one Member State, initial growth in detections of mephedrone in ecstasy tablets appears to have been followed by a decline. The reported mephedrone detections refer to various physical forms, mostly powder but also tablets, capsules and liquids. In general, it is not uncommon to find mephedrone in combination with other synthetic cathinones. Furthermore, other substances were also encountered in combination with mephedrone e.g. MDMA, mCPP and caffeine.

Several Member States reported seizures of mephedrone in tablet form with logo imprints indicating that they are sold in the user environment as ecstasy. As mephedrone is available in powder form on the Internet, processing activities by organised crime seem to be limited to tableting. Altogether, three tableting units were reported from the Netherlands but no other Member State reported processing activities. In one of these cases, other psychoactive substances such as MDMA and mCPP were also found on the tableting site.

There is no information on money-laundering activities in connection with the production, wholesale and/or distribution of mephedrone. Furthermore, there is no data suggesting the involvement of the same groups of people in different types of crime.

Indications of international trafficking were reported by two Member States — Germany and the Netherlands. There is currently limited information to underpin large-scale processing and distribution of mephedrone and the role of organised crime. However, with one Member State reporting the involvement of organised crime in trafficking and another confirming organised crime involvement in large-scale tableting sites, there may be possible involvement of organised crime in the trafficking and wholesale distribution of mephedrone. There is no information on incidences of violence in connection with the production, wholesale and/or distribution of mephedrone.