Between April 2023 and March 2024, police made a total of 7,237 drug seizures across the region
Sacks of ketamine found in the back of a Volkswagen van on the East Lancs Road
Drug seizures in Merseyside have reached a 15-year high, with new data revealing the most commonly seized substances. Between April 2023 and March 2024, police made a total of 7,237 drug seizures across the region, including 32,777 cannabis plants, 3kg of powdered cocaine, 1kg of heroin, and 3,000 doses of ecstasy.
That was more than double the 2,970 seizures the previous year and the largest number of seizures since the year ending March 2010. The figures show that by far the most common drug seized by police last year was cannabis, which accounted for 70% of all drug seizures nationally.
Powder cocaine was the next most popular drug and made up 10% of all seizures. While cannabis is the most popular drug everywhere in England and Wales, and cocaine is the second most seized drug almost everywhere, Home Office data has revealed the next most popular drug in each police force area.
Powder cocaine was the next most popular drug and made up 10% of all seizures(Image: Getty Images)
In Merseyside, that was crack cocaine with 402 seizures.
Commonly known as crack, it is a free base version of cocaine that can be smoked. Repeated use can lead to respiratory failure, seizures, depression, and cardiomyopathy.
Heroin was the next most popular drug, with 352 seizures, followed by ketamine (270 seizures).
However, with a total of 4,438 seizures in Merseyside, Cannabis was by far the most common drug seized by police, followed by powder cocaine (1,339 seizures).
You can see the most popular drugs across the nation using our interactive map.
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