Decrease in number of drug seizure incidents recorded in 2024/25

Date published: 26 September 2025

New official statistics published today by NISRA statisticians in the PSNI presents information on recorded drug seizures and arrests in Northern Ireland between 2006/07 and 2024/25.

Key findings:

• The number of drug seizure incidents increased each year between 2006/07 and 2022/23, with the exception of a fall in 2016/17 (51 fewer seizure incidents).
• The latest two years have both recorded decreases in seizure incidents: 2023/24 (414 fewer seizure incidents) and 2024/25 (1,568 fewer seizure incidents).
• The number of drug seizure incidents recorded in 2024/25 (6,951) showed a decrease of 1,568 (-18.4 per cent) when compared with 2023/24; it remains almost three times the level recorded in 2006/07 (2,590).
• The number of drug-related arrests generally increased each year between 2006/07 (1,708 arrests) and 2019/20 (3,834 arrests), with the exception of falls of 37 and 239 in 2014/15 and 2016/17 respectively.
• The number of drug-related arrests have fluctuated since then with 2024/25 recording 3,128 arrests, a fall of 456 on the previous year. This most recent figure remains around twice that recorded in 2006/07.

About the publication

The report presents police recorded drug seizure and arrest statistics between 2006/07 and 2024/25. It includes statistics on Class A, Class B and Class C drugs and the policing districts in which the seizures and arrests took place.

Further Information

View the report: Trends in Police Recorded Drug Seizures and Arrests in Northern Ireland 2006/07 to 2024/25