MailOnline finds cocaine use at Tottenham vs Arsenal and Man United vs Man City derbies
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Eighty percent of toilets at last weekend’s Premier League derbies tested positive for cocaine, a shocking investigation by MailOnline has found.
Our investigation found that football thugs high on the Class A drug are fueling a terrifying rise in violence on Premier League pitches.
In Sunday’s ill-tempered North London derby, as a brainless Spurs supporter tried to kick Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, we checked 10 toilet cubicles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and found eight showed signs of the illegal substance.
MailOnline found widespread evidence of cocaine use in toilets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which hosted Sunday’s north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal.
It was the same story at Old Trafford on Saturday in the derby between Man United and City
MailOnline’s findings come as a record number of banning orders have been imposed preventing fans from going to grounds as a result of drug use and disorderly conduct.
Commenting on the results, Paul Lewis, Chairman of the Football Security Officers Association (FSA), said: ‘I’m not at all surprised by what MailOnline has discovered. For those of us who work in football, cocaine use in football is very common.’
We found evidence of cocaine being snorted in toilet cubicles at two of the Premier League’s biggest stadiums.
Mr Lewis, a former police officer, added: “It’s happening everywhere, from Premier League games to non-league level.
‘We regularly receive reports from our members of the discovery of white powder in the toilets, on the floor of the stands and even outside the stadiums. The amount of drugs taken by fans is phenomenal at some games.’
At the final whistle of the north London and Manchester derbies at the weekend, MailOnline cleaned toilets at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium and detected widespread traces of the Class A drug on the surfaces.
The Spurs have tried to prevent fans from inhaling drugs in the bathrooms by removing the lids from the cisterns.
But that didn’t stop a follower from emerging from a cubicle rubbing his nose after huffing behind the closed door.
In the family block, with young children wandering around accompanied by their parents, our reporter walked in and saw white powder still clearly visible on the toilet paper holder.
A quick wipe across the surface and our lab-approved swab instantly turned blue, indicating traces of the deadly drug.
Lab-approved swabs turn blue if there are traces of the deadly drug cocaine
In some cases, cocaine was visible on top of toilet cisterns and toilet paper holders.
MailOnline reporter Vivek Chaudhary with one of the lab-approved swabs that instantly turned blue to indicate the presence of cocaine in the stadium toilets.
It was the same situation at Old Trafford, where tests showed that a small shelf above the toilet was used to store lines of cocaine.
The worrying discovery of cocaine use at these Premier League matches comes as new police figures showed that football ban orders issued in connection with matches in England and Wales have risen markedly in the first half of the current season in compared to the same period last season.
Data released by the UK Football Police Unit last week revealed that 343 banning orders were issued between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, an increase of 230 per cent compared to the same period. period in the 2021-22 campaign.
Incidents involving drug use by supporters increased by 42 percent. Since November 10 of last year, anyone convicted of possessing or supplying Class A drugs in regulated gambling may be subject to a prohibition order.
A Tottenham fan was photographed ordering a line of drugs on the pitch when they played their last game at White Hart Lane in 2017.
There was a huge police operation to keep Tottenham and Arsenal fans apart on Sunday.
comes amid a huge increase in football-related violence at all levels, fueled by drug use
The UK’s top soccer official, Police Chief Mark Roberts, warned that more fans than ever before were taking the drug at games, creating a “toxic mix” of violence.
He said: “As we see more violent incidents, cocaine is one of those factors along with alcohol that will make things worse and make people more violent.”
One fan also said that cocaine in soccer was so plentiful that fans even snorted it at their seats.
Mr Lewis, a retired police officer who is now responsible for ground security at Nottingham Forest, added: “Cocaine is making fans behave in a more violent way and there is no doubt that it is one of the factors that contribute to more problems in games”.
There was a large police presence at the Everton vs Southampton match amid protests from fans.
“Drugs are consumed in all parts of stadiums, not just where known rioters congregate. Drugs are prevalent in society and this has extended to football.
“It’s been going on for over ten years, but it’s only now getting media attention.”
The FSOA has called on clubs to take more steps to prevent cocaine from being used inside stadiums.
This includes increased use of sniffer dogs, removing flat surfaces from inside bathroom stalls, and spraying surfaces with a special chemical to prevent them from being used for cocaine use.
Mr Lewis added: “We welcome stricter legislation which can lead to banning orders being placed on those who use or sell drugs inside stadiums, but clubs need to develop more effective strategies to combat this problem.”
There was a shocking moment when a Tottenham fan kicked Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in the back following the Gunners’ 2-0 win.
The incident saw the fan jump from the stands onto a billboard and kick Ramsdale in the back as he picked up his water bottle.
Richarlison was seen punching Ramsdale in the face, causing tensions to boil over.
“It is impossible to thoroughly record every fan who enters a stadium. But you can design areas a certain way to make it harder for them to use drugs. And sniffer dogs are also a great deterrent.
Tottenham Hotspur said in a statement: “The Club takes a zero tolerance approach to drugs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the rise in drug use is a worrying issue in society at large.”
“The Club works closely with the Metropolitan Police on all drug-related matters and anyone found with illegal substances inside the stadium is off limits.”
A Manchester United statement said: ‘Manchester United take a zero tolerance approach towards illegal substance abuse and will continue to crack down on those who seek to bring or use illegal substances into our stadium.
“The use of illegal substances in stadiums is a collective problem in our sport, as well as in society at large, and we are committed to working with the relevant authorities to eradicate it from football and ensure that Old Trafford remains a safe and inclusive place. for all”. our fans come and support the team.’