Drug Seizure and Offender Statistics, United Kingdom, 1997

• NCJ Number: 179456
• Author(s): John M. Corkery
• Date Published: April 1999
• Length: 64 pages
• Corporate Author: Great Britain Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate
• Sale Source: Great Britain Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Home Office Statistical Bulletin, Issue 8/99

Annotation

Official statistics from the police and H.M. Customs and Excise in the United Kingdom were used to analyze drug seizures and drug offenders during 1997 and for the previous 10 years.

Abstract

The number of drug seizures increased 14 percent in 1997 to 139,000, compared to an increase of 6 percent in the previous year. Marijuana was involved in 77 percent of the seizures. The number of seizures involving heroin increased 27 percent; those involving cocaine increased 33 percent. The weight of seized heroin increased 109 percent and cocaine 93 percent; the amounts of LSD and Ecstasy-type drugs fell by 34 and 67 percent respectively. The number of drug offenders increased 19 percent to 113,000 in 1997. Almost 90 percent were drug possession cases, mainly of marijuana. The number of heroin offenders increased 48 percent to 8,800; the number of marijuana offenders increased 18 percent to 86,000. Just under half the offenders were cautioned, 22 percent were fined, and 9 percent were sentenced to immediate custody. These percentages were similar to those in 1995 and 1996. See NCJ 179457 for supplementary tables, and NCJ 179458 for area tables. Figures, tables, and notes