Brazil study shows presence of cocaine in sharks

Brazilian scientists said they have detected traces of cocaine in wild sharks, revealing the dangers that the illegal cocaine trade poses to marine life. High concentrations of cocaine were found in the sharks' muscles and livers by researchers at the Rio de Janeiro-based Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.

The Brazilian sharpnose sharks were caught by fishing fleets off the coast of Rio de Janeiro between September 2021 and August 2023. Samples were taken from the sharks, and the concentration of cocaine was found to be more than 100 times those previously reported in any other aquatic animals, according to the study. The study also found that cocaine levels were three times higher in muscle than the livers of the sharks.