NCJ Number
126910
Date Published
1990
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Data on drug abuse in the United Kingdom for 1989 cover the number and amount of seizures and persons arrested for drug offenses.
Abstract
Record levels of controlled drug seizures and offenders occurred in 1989 for the second year. The number of seizures was relatively constant between 1985 and 1987, but rose to 38,200 (a 25-percent increase) in 1988 and to 52,100 (a 30-percent increase) in 1989, with some of the increase (approximately 2,300) being due to improved recordkeeping. The weights of both heroin and cocaine seized increased 50 percent, with a record 500 kg of cocaine being seized. The bulk of the seizures consisted of cannabis (approximately 60 tons). The number of drug offenders rose 25 percent to 38,400; this is expected to increase further in 1990, as many of those involved with the 1989 seizures come to court. The most frequent sentence for drug offenders, as in previous years, was a fine, however the proportion fined fell slightly as did the proportion sentenced to immediate custody. 11 notes, 10 figures, and 21 tables