Needle spiking in nightclubs and concerts on the rise in Europe

There has been a share rise in needle spiking attacks across Europe.(AP: Jeremias Gonzalez)

Hundreds of people across Europe and the United Kingdom have reported being pricked by needles while at nightclubs or concerts, a recent trend that is worrying many.

In recent months, more than 300 people have reported being pricked by needles in France, with police in Belgium and the Netherlands are investigating scattered cases as well.

In the UK, the government is now studying a spate of “needle spiking” incidents.

Tomas Laux, 18, attended a rap concert in Lille, France, on May 4.

He told The Associated Press he was feeling dizzy and had a headache the next morning before noticing a strange little skin puncture on his arm and a bruise.

The symptoms persisted, prompting Mr Laux to go to his doctor, who advised him to go to the hospital. Medics confirmed evidence of a needle prick and Mr Laux was tested for HIV and hepatitis — which came back negative.

“I’ve given up going to concerts since it happened,” Mr Laux said.

Hundreds of kilometres away, Leanne Desnos recounted a similar experience after going to a club in the south-west French city of Bordeaux in April.

Ms Desnos, also 18, passed out the next day, and felt dizzy and had hot flashes while at a fast food restaurant. When she got home, she realised she had an injection mark on her arm. After having seen testimony on social media about the mystery pricks, she went to a clinic to get tested for infections. She is still awaiting the results.

People from Paris, Toulouse, Nantes, Nancy, Rennes, and other cities around France have reported being pricked with a needle without their knowledge or permission.

The targeted individuals, who are mostly women, show visible marks of injection, often bruises, and report symptoms like feeling groggy.

France’s national police agency says 302 people have filed formal complaints about such needle pricks.

Several police investigations are ongoing in different regions, but no suspect has been arrested yet, no needle has been found and the motive remains unclear.

No victims have reported sexual assault; one said he was robbed, in Grenoble in April, according to Le Monde newspaper.

While there have been two cases of people testing positive for GHB, a powerful anaesthetic used by predators in sexual assaults, Dr Emmanuel Puskarczyk said it was more likely that drug was spiked in a drink and the main worry was people contracting HIV.

“We didn’t find any drugs or substances or objective proof which attest to… administration of a substance with wrongful or criminal intent,” said Dr Puskarczyk, head of the poison control centre of the eastern French city of Nancy.

In the Nancy hospital, a special procedure has been created to optimise care of victims.

Patients who show symptoms like grogginess are treated and blood and urine samples are kept for five days in case any want to press charges.