HC Deb 22 January 1990 vol 165 cc513-4W
Mr. David Shaw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of seizures of illicit drugs occurs at British ports of entry.

Mr. Mellor

Seizures at ports and airports from persons, luggage, private vehicles and freight, and from ships and aircraft, represented about 7 per cent. of a total of 38,235 seizures of controlled drugs in the United Kingdom in 1988. Such seizures are, however, often of large amounts: in 1988, port seizures accounted by weight for 76 per cent. of the cocaine, 55 per cent. of the heroin, 12 per cent. of the amphetamines and 87 per cent. of the cannabis seized in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the ports of arrival in Britain and state(a) the street value, (b) amount and (c) type of each drug seized in every month for 1989.

Mr. Ryder

I have been asked to reply.

I regret that this information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.