Record amounts of cocaine and ketamine have been seized by Border
Force and police forces, new data released today (20 April)
shows.
Border Force and police forces’ record seizures of tonnes of
illicit drugs helps to break criminal gangs’ supply chains, keep
our borders secure and communities safe.
In the year ending March 2022, 188,929 drug seizures were made in
England and Wales with so-called party drugs cocaine and ketamine
reaching the highest levels of seizures on record.
The quantity of cocaine seized rose by 68% to 18,767kg, while the
quantity of ketamine confiscated rose by 884% to 1,837kg.
The record amounts seized were driven by an increase in the
number of high-quantity and intelligence-led seizures by Border
Force. Although police forces accounted for 89% of the number of
seizures, Border Force seized a much a higher proportion of drugs
in terms of quantity.
Border Force is often involved in operations where large
quantities of drugs are seized, for example at airports or
maritime ports.
In the year ending March 2022, law enforcement action by Border
Force made up 91% of the quantity of all cocaine and ketamine
seizures, 97% of anabolic steroids and 79% of heroin.
Working in partnership, Border Force, police forces the National
Crime Agency and international partners use intelligence and
technology to keep our borders safe, prevent drug trafficking and
bring those responsible to justice.
Expert staff use a range of methods including high-tech search
equipment and visual checks to detect illegal and restricted
goods that criminals attempt to bring into the country.
These statistics are the first to be published which cover a
period following the announcement of the government’s 10-year
Drug Strategy to tackle the harms caused by drug misuse in
December 2021.
Securing the border to crack down on supply chains and criminal
gangs profiting from the trade in illegal drugs forms a key part
of the strategy, which will see £300 million invested in pursuing
and closing down the ruthless gangs who exploit and threaten our
most vulnerable in society for financial gain. A further £780
million will be invested in treatment and recovery.
Today, Immigration Minister is visiting Border Force
officials at Heathrow Airport, to commend to their commitment to
tackle and break drug supply chains and stop these harmful
substances from entering the UK.
Immigration Minister said:
We will continue to back Border Force and the police to use every
available power to stop dangerous drugs from coming into our
country and enforce the law.
Data released today, which includes a record amount of cocaine
and ketamine seized, shows the effectiveness of our approach as
we continue to go after the criminals who blight so many
communities and destroy lives with these harmful substances.
Steve Dann, Border Force Chief Operating Officer
said:
These seizures send a clear message to anyone prepared to smuggle
illegal drugs into the country that we remain committed to tackle
often violent and exploitative drug supply chains.
Border Force Officers involved in these seizures can be proud of
their work in stopping these dangerous drugs from entering our
communities.
In the year ending March 2022, Border Force and the police seized
the following quantities:
- for Class A seizures, 18,767kg of cocaine, 1,412kg of heroin
and 43kg of crack cocaine
- for Class B seizures, 35,436kg of herbal cannabis, 1,837kg of
ketamine and 243kg of amphetamines
- for Class C seizures, 2.5 million doses of anabolic steroids
and 21kg of GHB
In the year ending March 2022, 188,929 drug seizures were made in
England and Wales. Although this is a 14% decrease on the
previous year, this is likely due to increased drug enforcement
activity during COVID-19 lockdowns that has since returned to
pre-COVID-19 levels. Nevertheless, the total number of seizures
remains the second-highest number of seizures since the year
ending March 2014.
