AMSTERDAM: Dutch Customs officers intercepted around 15.758 kilograms of drugs in 2014, nearly 10,000 kg less than the 25,000 kg haul found in 2013. The most popular drug intercepted was cocaine – which made up 64% of all drugs found – research from Consultancy.uk based on data from the Dutch Ministry of Finance finds. In 2008 and 2009 Cannabis was still the most highly stopped drug by weight. Per year, the Dutch Customs authority seizes thousands of kilos of drugs that are imported into the Netherlands. In 2014 nearly 16,000 kg were intercepted, according to data from the Dutch Ministry of Finance. This is considerably lower than in 2013 – when Customs intercepted 25.358 kg, nearly 10,000 kg more than in 2012 and 2014. In the recent past, 2008 saw the biggest haul, with a total catch of more than 31,000 kg. The large swings in drugs intercepted per year are due, according to the Customs department, to the weight of the occasional large catches. Drugs intercepted by Dutch Customs Cocaine most found
Cocaine has in recent years been the most commonly intercepted sort of drugs. In 2014 more than 10,000 kg of cocaine was intercepted, or 64% of the total find. The years previous also saw cocaine as the most often found drug kind – with only 2008 and 2009 as exceptions, when the most caught drug was cannabis. That such large shipments of cocaine are being stopped from entering the country is not such a surprise. Freight, mail and passengers who come from high-risk countries, such as Colombia, Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles and Venezuela – places known for their cocaine production and trade – have for some time now been subjected to 100% Customs checks. Drugs intercepted by Dutch Customs – per drug Even with the high level of cocaine interception in 2014, it was still a relatively good year. 2013 saw 3,000 kg more of the ‘caviar’ stopped from entering the country. Other drugs were also intercepted less in 2014, with the most notable decliners hash, falling from nearly 1,600 kg in 2013 to merely 54 kg last year, and khat, of which 7,000 kg less was found than in 2013. The amounts of XTC and Heroin stopped in 2014 were considerably higher than in 2013 however, respectively 14 kg compared to 641 kg (~46 times larger) and 370 kg compared to 2,064 kg (nearly 6 times as much).
