| Drug Offenses in the UK by Offense Type and Country, 2004-2005 to 2012-2013 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | |||||||||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
| England and Wales | |||||||||
| Trafficking* | 24,190 | 25,276 | 26,550 | 28,323 | 29,885 | 33,234 | 32,336 | 31,316 | 29,765 |
| Possession | 120,866 | 152,602 | 167,003 | 200,773 | 212,528 | 201,240 | 199,444 | 196,656 | 177,219 |
| Other Drug Offenses** | 781 | 601 | 680 | 816 | 1,123 | 1,122 | 1,142 | 1,127 | 1,033 |
| Total Offenses | 145,837 | 178,479 | 194,233 | 229,913 | 243,536 | 235,596 | 232,922 | 229,099 | 208,017 |
| Northern Ireland | |||||||||
| Trafficking | 375 | 349 | 475 | 530 | 607 | 668 | 762 | 846 | 890 |
| Possession | 2,246 | 2,594 | 1,934 | 2,186 | 2,364 | 2,472 | 2,708 | 2,924 | 3,473 |
| Other Drug Offenses | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 10 | 15 |
| Total Offenses | 2,622 | 2,944 | 2,413 | 2,721 | 2,974 | 3,146 | 3,485 | 3,780 | 4,378 |
| Scotland | |||||||||
| Trafficking | 9,333 | 9,613 | 10,890 | 9,827 | 10,315 | 9,901 | 7,138 | 6,684 | 5,136 |
| Possession | 32,268 | 34,440 | 31,329 | 30,559 | 31,805 | 29,179 | 26,960 | 28,326 | 29,150 |
| Other Drug Offenses*** | 222 | 194 | 203 | 360 | 389 | 328 | 249 | 147 | 402 |
| Total Offenses | 41,823 | 44,247 | 42,422 | 40,746 | 42,509 | 39,408 | 34,347 | 35,157 | 34,688 |
| United Kingdom Total | |||||||||
| Trafficking | 33,898 | 35,238 | 37,915 | 38,680 | 40,807 | 43,803 | 40,236 | 38,846 | 35,791 |
| Possession | 155,380 | 189,636 | 200,266 | 233,518 | 246,697 | 232,891 | 229,112 | 227,906 | 209,842 |
| Other Drug Offenses | 1,004 | 796 | 887 | 1,181 | 1,515 | 1,446 | 1,406 | 1,284 | 1,450 |
| Total Offenses | 190,282 | 225,670 | 239,068 | 273,379 | 289,019 | 278,140 | 270,754 | 268,036 | 247,083 |
* Trafficking usually includes production, supply, possession with intent to supply, possession on a ship, carrying on ship and unlawful import and export.
** For England and Wales, and Northern Ireland 'other drug offenses' mainly concern permitting premises to be used for the production, supply and use of drugs.
*** For Scotland 'other drug offenses' include production and manufacture of drugs (not legal cultivation), offenses related to money laundering, and other drug offenses not designated as trafficking or possession.
Source: Smith et al. 2013; Taylor and Bond 2012; Chaplin et al. 2011 PSNI 2013; Scottish Government 2013d
Police forces in England and Wales revise their data as further information becomes available and figures in this table therefore may not agree with those previously published.
