Since 2013, more than 3,000 people charged with drug possession, 840 with trafficking

Police drug busts this year yield 12.1kg of cocaine and 40.6kg of cannabis grass, information tabled in parliament shows

Since 2013, 3,383 people were charged with drug trafficking and 840 with trafficking
Since 2013, 3,383 people were charged with drug trafficking and 840 with trafficking

Police seized 12.1kg of cocaine and 40.6kg of cannabis grass until September, according to information tabled in parliament.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said 65 people were charged over drug trafficking this year and 117 were charged with possession. He was replying to a parliamentary question filed by Nationalist MP Ivan Bartolo.

Since 2013, 3,383 people were charged with possession of drugs while 840 were charged with trafficking.

Camilleri gave a breakdown of drugs found by police, the amount gathered and the number of people charged in court over possession and trafficking of the substances for the seven years.

Information shows that between January and September this year, police confiscated 1.74kg of heroin, 12.1kg of cocaine, 88.4g of crack cocaine, 263.5g of cannabis resin and 40.6kg of cannabis grass. Six cannabis joints were also seized by police. One cannabis plant and seven cannabis seeds were also found.

Other illegal substances included 59.7g of cutting agent, 18ml of testosterone, 9.5 ecstasy pills and 2kg of scheduled synthetic.

Notable catches in previous years saw police seizing 747.3kg of cocaine in 2019, with 118.1kg of cannabis resin also being apprehended in the same year. Last year, the police also confiscated 3.2kg of scheduled synthetic substances and 500g of synthetic cocaine.

In 2018, police confiscated 17,366.3kg of cannabis resin, 594.6kg of cannabis grass, 378.6g of ecstasy, 97.3g of MDMA powder and 22.3g of crack cocaine and 187.5kg of cocaine.

In 2017 322.5kg of cocaine, 13.5kg of heroin, 591.4kg of cannabis resin and 193.8kg of cannabis grass, 19.7g of MDMA, 11 cannabis plants and 318 cannabis seeds were seized by the police.

Catches along the years saw police seizing 3.7kg of cocaine in 2013, 38.6g of mephedrone (meaw), 3 microdots of LSD and 14.3 g of crack cocaine.

In 2014 and 2015 respectively, 69.5kg of cannabis grass and 69.9kg of cannabis resin were seized.

In 2016 police confiscated 73 cannabis joints, 444.3g of MDMA powder, and 5ml of magic mushrooms.