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.