An 80-year-old pensioner has been placed under house arrest with an ankle monitor after police found him with 11 packets of cocain, though he claims the stash was purely for his “health”
It’s never too late to party…or get healthy? An 80-year-old has been put under house arrest after police found him with 11 packets of cocaine.
In a surprising twist, the pensioner insisted it was just what the doctor ordered. The sprightly senior further claimed the stash was for his “health”.
A judge from the Split County Court in Croatia has reportedly ordered house arrest with electronic monitoring for the 80-year-old man who was caught last week with 11 packets of cocaine. He is also reportedly suspected of selling one half-gram packet of the drug.
The man has claimed that the illegal substance found in his house was for his personal use.
Moreover, he said he used the drug for health reasons. According to the drug-user, cocaine made him feel “rejuvenated”, Croatian news outlet Dalmatinski Portal reported.
Nevertheless, he has reportedly denied selling drugs. According to the local news, the peculiar individual has been given an electronic monitoring device, which has been placed on his leg.
As a result, for the next month, he is not allowed to leave his house. Due to the fact that the man lives alone, a neighbour will have to bring him food and other necessities.
You don’t have to travel further than England to come across pensioners who have crossed the line. In October 2025, hospitals rang the alarm after facing a startling rise in elderly patients who abuse cocaine.
OAPs have been reportedly turning to Class A drugs to cope with health issues that the NHS can’t help with. The patients included 70 aged 75-79, 28 in their 80s, and eight in their 90s, the Daily Star previously reported.
NHS figures showed 723 pensioners needed hospital treatment between March 2023 and March 2024 for cocaine-related complications, including several in their 90s. While 156 OAPs were treated for long-term dependencies, others suffered from withdrawal, depression, or psychosis triggered by cocaine.
Pensioners still only make up 3% of the 23,644 individuals treated for cocaine. But over-65 admissions are up a third from 2022-23 and up four and a half times from 2014-15, when only 164 needed medical attention.
Zaheen Ahmed, from drug addiction specialists UKAT, said: “Some older people experiment with cocaine because they have more disposable income, fewer responsibilities, and more free time. Others may be using it as a way to cope with loneliness, bereavement or the mental health challenges that can come with ageing.”
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