Seizures of controlled drugs

This section provides a selection of information on seizures of drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The source of statistics concerned with seizures of controlled drugs is a range of bulletins published annually by the Home Office under the general title “Statistics of drug seizures and offenders dealt with”. The figures relating to Scotland are published in the “Scotland Tables” which may be obtained from the Home Office at the address given on page 82.

The statistics of seizures cover seizures made during the year by police and by officials of HM Customs and Excise and other bodies. Seizures involving more than one drug are counted as a single seizure in the total number of seizures but are counted separately against each individual drug or drug class involved. Annual movements in quantities are often heavily affected by a small number of very large seizures. It should also be noted that changes in drug seizures do not necessarily imply similar changes in the prevalence of the misuse of controlled drugs. Drug misuse is a largely clandestine activity and the numbers of seizures are affected by both by changes in the amount, direction and effectiveness of enforcement effort and by changes in recording procedures

Table 42 Seizures of controlled drugs: 1985, 1990 - 1996

Table 43 Seizures 1 of controlled drugs : 1996

Table 44 Number and quantity 1 of seizures 2 of class A, B and C drugs; Scotland : 1985, 1990 - 1996

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