Drug Seizures and Offender Characteristics, 2024-25

Number of seizures and quantities of drugs seized

The quantity of drugs seized can fluctuate considerably each year and does not necessarily move in line with the number of seizures made. Whilst most drug seizures consist of relatively small quantities (usually possession-related crimes), annual quantities of drugs seized can be greatly influenced by a small number of large seizures (usually supply-related crimes).

Drug supply crimes

Intelligence-led operations against known drug dealers tend to result in a low number of seizures, but conversely the quantity of drugs seized and their value will be high. These high profile operations may result in greater disruption to the illicit drugs trade which, whilst having a positive effect, may reduce the number of seizures made. As such, care should be taken when comparing quantities of drugs seized over time.

A significant proportion of drugs seized in terms of quantity come from seizures related to supply crimes, despite making up a relatively small proportion of the overall number of seizures.

This section covers drugs seized where the crime was one of drug supply, drug production or illegal importation of drugs.

The data presented below for drug supply crimes is based on a sample of 400 records. As this analysis is drawn from a sample of records, users should treat the following information as a broad indication of the types and quantity of drugs seized from drug supply crimes, rather than an exact measure. To ensure the value of these estimates, they have only been carried out where there were at least 10 observations of a specific drug type found in the sample. All figures are rounded and presented at a national level as the sample size is too small to provide robust estimates for geographies below this.

Due to the change in methodology for collecting the data on drug supply crimes, the data presented for 2024-25 is not comparable to previous years.

Number of drug supply crimes by drug classification

Recorded crime statistics show that in total, there were 4,802 drug supply crimes recorded by the police in 2024-25. Further information can be found in Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25.

Table 1a shows the distribution of the classification of drugs seized in the sample for 2024-25. Table 1b shows the resulting estimate of the total number of supply crimes involving each class of drug.

In 2024-25, almost half of all drug supply crimes were estimated to involve Class B drugs (48%). A further 39% were estimated to involve Class A drugs and just under a tenth involved Class C drugs (8%).

Class A drugs seized from drug supply crimes

Table 2a shows the proportion of drug supply crimes involving certain drugs within the sample for 2024-25 and Table 2b presents an estimated total number of these crimes. In 2024-25 the most commonly seized Class A drug was cocaine, accounting for around 21% of all drug supply crimes, an estimated 1,000 crimes.

Table 2c shows the estimated quantity of those drugs seized. For each type of drug, this is calculated by summing two measures. The first measure is the total quantity of drugs seized from the top vigintile (or 5%) of records reviewed for that drug type, in terms of quantity of drug seized. The second measure has been estimated by multiplying the average quantity seized across the remaining 95% of records reviewed by the estimated number of drug supply seizures involving that drug.

It is recognised that the above methodology does have limitations as it cannot account for any particularly large seizure that may not have been randomly selected for the sample, and there is in effect no upper limit on the quantity of drugs that could be seized as part of a drug supply crime (unlike posession crimes, where the quantity of drugs is considered to be for personal use).

As the above referenced requirement to report on drug seizures relates to total quantity seized (rather than an average per seizure), the methodology allows the very largest seizures found in the sample to be included in our estimates (measure one), without skewing the average calculated weight for the rest of the sample (measure two). If those largest seizures had been included for measure two, there is the risk this would have significantly over-estimated the total quantity of drugs siezed. As noted above, due to the nature of drug supply crimes and the variation in size of seizures, we nonetheless cannot with the current approach account for any very large seizures which were not in the sample. Therefore these estimates should be used as a broad indication of the quantity seized, not an exact measure. The estimates for the quantities seized have been rounded to the nearest 10kg.

As outlined in the Introduction, the methodology used for these 2024-25 statistics is considered to be temporary whilst further work is progressed with Police Scotland to review the data collection process, following the rollout of their new national IT system for recording crime.

It is estimated that around 200 kilograms (kg) of cocaine, 60kg of heroin and 10kg of crack cocaine were seized as part of a drug supply crime.

Within the sample for 2024-25, relatively small amounts of ecstasy-type substances, LSD and magic mushrooms were found. However, because of the small number of cases, a reliable estimate of quantity could not be produced.

There were no drug supply crimes involving any other types of Class A drugs found within the sample of 400 cases, suggesting, that if these were present, they accounted for a very small proportion of these crimes.

Class B drugs seized from drug supply crimes

Table 2a shows the proportion of drug supply crimes involving certain drugs within the sample for 2024-25 and Table 2b presents an estimated total number of these crimes. In 2024-25 the most commonly seized Class B drug was herbal cannabis, accounting for around 28% of all drug supply crimes, an estimated 1,400 crimes and the most commonly seized drug.

Table 2c shows the estimated quantity of those drugs seized (based on the same approach and methodology outlined for Class A drugs above). Again, these estimates should be used as a broad indication of the quantity seized, not an exact measure. The estimates for the quantities seized have been rounded to the nearest 10kg and 100 plants.

It is estimated that around 2,520 kilograms (kg) of herbal cannabis, 33,900 cannabis plants and 10kg of ketamine were seized as part of a drug supply crime.

Within the sample for 2024-25, relatively small amounts of amphetemines, cannabis edibles, cannabis resin, mephedrone and other Class B drugs were found. However, because of the small number of cases, a reliable estimate of quantity could not be produced.

There were no drug supply crimes involving any other types of Class B drugs found within the sample, suggesting that if these were present, they accounted for a very small proportion of these crimes.

Class C drugs seized from drug supply crimes

Table 2a shows the proportion of drug supply crimes involving certain drugs within the sample for 2024-25 and Table 2b presents an estimated total number of these crimes. In 2024-25 the most commonly seized Class C drug was benzodiazepines, accounting for around 6% of all drug supply crimes, an estimated 300 crimes.

Table 2c shows the estimated quantity of those drugs seized (based on the same approach and methodology outlined for Class A drugs above). Again these estimates should be used as a broad indication of the quantity seized, not an exact measure. The estimates for the quantities seized have been rounded to the nearest 10,000 tablets.

It is estimated that around 1.81 million benzodiazepine tablets were seized as part of a drug supply crime.

Within the sample for 2024-25, relatively small amounts of Other Class C drugs were found. However, because of the small number of cases, a reliable estimate of quantity could not be produced.

It is also possible there were crimes commited involving additional Class C drug types, which were not picked up in the sample. However for any type where this applied, it is likely they accounted for a very small proportion of these crimes.

Drug possession crimes

The majority of seizures of controlled drugs are from drug possession crimes (in terms of the number of seizures), however by their nature these incidents involve a relatively small quantity of drugs being seized. As a result, drug possession crimes account for only a small proportion of all drugs seized in terms of quantity, despite accounting for the vast majority of seizures.

The data presented below for drug possession crimes is based on a sample of 400 records per year. As this analysis is drawn from a sample of records, users should treat the following information as a broad indication of the characteristics of drug possession rather than as an exact measure. All figures are presented at a national level as the sample size is too small to provide robust estimates for geographies below this.

Number of drug possession crimes by drug classification

Recorded crime statistics show that in total, there were 20,389 drug possession crimes recorded by the police in 2024-25. Further information can be found in Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25.

Table 3a shows the distribution of the classification of drugs seized in the sample for 2014-15 to 2024-25, excluding the years 2022-23 and 2023-24. Table 3b shows the resulting estimate of the total number of possession crimes involving each class of drug.

In 2024-25, more than half of all drug possession crimes were estimated to involve Class B drugs (53%), a further 25% were estimated to involve Class A drugs and a fifth of all drug possession crimes involved Class C drugs (20%).

Since 2014-15, the proportion of drug possession crimes that were estimated to involve a Class B drug has fallen from 68% to 53% in 2024-25.

Quantity of drugs seized from drug possession crimes

Table 4a shows the distribution of the types of drugs seized in the sample for 2014-15 to 2024-25, excluding the years 2022-23 and 2023-24. Table 4b shows the resulting estimate of the total number of possession crimes involving each type of drug.

In 2024-25, herbal cannabis, benzodiazepines and cocaine accounted for 68% of all drug possession seizures.

Herbal cannabis was the most commonly seized drug, accounting for 43% of drug possession records in the sample, with benzodiazepines accounting for 14% and cocaine 12%.

Table 4c provides estimates of the quantity of drugs seized as part of a possession crime from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (excluding the years 2022-23 and 2023-24), for particular drug types. To ensure the value of these estimates, they have only been carried out where there were at least 15 observations of a drug found in the sample. Following year-on-year decreases between 2016-17 and 2019-20, cannabis resin has not reached the required level to be reported since 2019-20. Although benzodiazepines remain a commonly seized drug, the most commonly seized type of benzodiazepine has varied over the years. Following decreases between 2014-15 and 2017-18, diazepam has not reached this required level to be reported since 2017-18. Etizolam seizures increased year on year between 2017-18 and 2020-21, decreasing in 2021-22 and in 2024-25 no longer reached the required level to be reported. Conversely, in 2024-25 for the first time there were a sufficient number of cases to present data on Bromazolam. This suggests that in the latest year, cannabis resin, diazepam and etizolam accounted for only a small proportion of seizures for drug possession crimes.

The quantity has been estimated by multiplying the average quantity seized in the sample by the estimated number of drug possession seizures involving that drug.

Overall quantity of drugs seized

Table 5 shows the total quantity of drugs seized for the drug types where an estimate of the quantity seized from both supply and possession crimes has been made. The figures shown in the table are the sum of the estimated quantities seized from supply-related crimes and the estimated quantities seized from possession crimes.

For those drug types not shown in Table 5, there were fewer than 10 observations in the sample of supply crimes and/or fewer than 15 observations in the sample of possession crimes.

For all of these drug types the quantity of drugs seized from possession crimes is relatively small when compared to the quantity seized from supply crimes.

In 2024-25, the following total quantities of drugs were estimated to have been siezed;

• around 200kg of cocaine,

• around 70kg of heroin,

• around 2,620kg of herbal cannabis, and

• around 2 million benzodiazepine tablets.