News & events
See other news storiesDrug seizures in England and Wales, 2007/08
7 May 2009
In 2007/08, police and HM Revenue and Customs made 216,792 seizures of drugs in England and Wales - an increase of 17% since 2006/07.
This figure is the highest since records began in 1973 and also marks an increase in the number of seizures for all classes of drugs.
Within Class A drugs, cocaine seizures increased by 26%, crack by nine per cent and heroin by two per cent. Like the previous year, cocaine was the most commonly seized Class A drug.
Class B drugs seizures increased by four per cent overall, with amphetamine seizures increasing by five per cent.
Class C drugs seizures increased by 20%, with herbal cannabis seizures increasing by 26%, seizures of cannabis plants increasing by 47% and cannabis resin seizures decreasing by five per cent.
The following quantity of drugs were seized in 2007/08:
- 3.4 tonnes of cocaine
- 1 ton of heroin
- 947,000 doses of ecstasy
- 1.8 tonnes of amphetamines
- 19.9 tonnes of herbal cannabis
- 16.6 tonnes of cannabis resin
- 508,460 cannabis plants
For further information, the Home Office statistical bulletin for seizures of drugs in England and Wales, 2007/08 (new window), is available for download.
