Amounts and Trends in Drugs Seizures in Germany, 2010-2011

"In comparison to the years 2010 and 2011, the seized quantities of heroin (+5.0%) amphetamine (+16.3 %), crystalline methamphetamine (Crystal; +48.8 %), khat (+51.1 %), ecstasy (+110.5 %) and LSD (507.1 %) all increased, whilst the seized quantities of crack (-11.9 %), psychoactive mushrooms (-17.0 %), hashish (-18.5 %) and marijuana (-188 %) declined. Whilst the seized quantities of khat and crystal (for comparatively low total quantities) has been steadily rising for some years, a development which seems to be a 'real' trend, the hugely increased quantities of ecstasy and LSD seized in comparison to the previous year seem to have been caused by the lower values in 2010. The main reason for these fluctuation are large individual seizures which greatly increase the numbers or, if such seizures a lacking in comparison to the previous year, reduce the numbers. For example, the increase in quantity of cocaine seized from 2009 to 2010 (+77%) was largely down to a few major seizures (1.3t, 351 kg and 341 kg). As such large seizures did not occur in 2011, the amount of cocaine secured, the quantity of cocaine seized remained in 2011 on a similar level to 2009 (BKA 2012a). In contrast to that, the quantity of methamphetamine seized (for a comparatively small total amount) almost tripled."