Value of drugs hauls doubled last year, Customs confirm

Tuesday 10 May 2016

The value of drugs seized by customs officers more than doubled last year, with a total haul of £2.3 million worth of controlled substances.

More than half of the value of seized drugs was made of hauls of cannabis (£1.6 million of the total) while officers also seized £449,556 worth of heroin, £102,423 worth of former legal highs and £48,820 of diazepam.

The total amount was almost 50% higher than the average over the last five years.

Around £1.6 million worth of drugs were imported by ferry, and almost £500,000 worth were intercepted on the French coast and inland.

The stats were revealed in the Customs and Immigration Service Annual Report, in which both the politician responsible for the service and the chief officer both warned that future cuts might have an effect on the quality of the work that they do.

Assistant Home Affairs Minister Deidre Mezbourian said: “In these challenging times our Customs and Immigration Service continues to protect our borders and collect significant revenue by maximising the flexible use of existing resources.

“However, it must be remembered that this is against a background of increasing budgetary pressures.

“I therefore consider that despite these pressures, Customs and Immigration must remain a discrete and properly resourced Service in order to continue to deliver an excellent service provision to the public of our Island.”

Drugs offences dealt with by Customs resulted in 13 people receiving custodial sentences totaling 53 years, while confiscation orders for £145,573 were made, and £4,250 worth of fines were imposed.