NARCOTIC DRUGS
Annual Report 2009 – Abridged Version
DATA ON DRUG CRIME IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
BUNDESKRIMINALAMT
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Narcotic Drugs
Annual Report 2009 – Abridged Version
BUNDESKRIMINALAMT
NARCOTIC DRUGS
Annual Drug Report 2009 – Abridged Version
Bundeskriminalamt
(Federal Criminal Police Office)
65173 Wiesbaden
[email protected]
www.bka.de
Narcotic Drugs
Annual Report 2009 – Abridged Version
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INTRODUCTION
The following report on the drug situation in the Federal Republic of Germany is based on analyses of
information from the Drugs Data File (Falldatei Rauschgift) and the Personal Data File (Personendatei).
The statistics on drug crime have been updated to reflect the cases recorded in the Drugs Data File as at
31/01/2010.
The following indicators were used as a basis for the present report on the drug situation: users of hard
drugs who came to police notice for the first time (first-time users), drug-related deaths, quantities seized
and number of seizures including important countries of origin and of destination as well as nationality of
the suspects.
The information on the individual indicators is derived from cases of drug-related crime that came to
police notice and reflects the part of this crime area recorded in the Drugs Data File. Changes in police
and customs control activity as well as seizures of large single quantities can have a considerable
influence on the development of the situation.
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CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS
Drug cultivation / production
⇒ Again extensive cannabis cultivation, mainly in indoor plantations.
⇒ Constant level of synthetic drugs production, especially methamphetamine.
Drug trafficking / smuggling
⇒ Decreasing number of seizures for nearly all types of drugs.
⇒ Noticeable increase in the quantities of heroin and cocaine seized.
⇒ Unchanged great significance of amphetamine.
Drug consumption
⇒ Declining figures for first-time users of hard drugs.
⇒ Decreasing number of drug-related deaths.
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Drug cultivation and production
In 2009, cannabis was again cultivated outdoors and indoors to a
Again considerable
considerable extent, although both the number of outdoor plantations
cultivation of cannabis
outdoors and indoors.
dropped from 102 to 67 (-34%) and the number of indoor plantations
dropped from 415 to 342 (-18%).
The 67 outdoor plantations concerned two professional plantations
(capacity: 1,000 plants and more), nine large plantations (100 to 999
plants) and 56 small plantations (20 to 99 plants), with 5,324 cannabis
plants having been seized in total. The 342 indoor plantations consist of
26 professional plantations, 98 large plantations and 218 small
plantations, with 91,310 cannabis plants having been seized in total.
Most of the outdoor plantations were recorded in Bavaria (24%), most of
the indoor plantations in North-Rhine/Westphalia (22%). With regard to
the professional and large indoor plantations, the focus on NorthRhine/Westphalia is particularly pronounced (31%).
In 2009, 24 illegal drug laboratories were seized, which represents a
level comparable to the previous year (25 laboratories).
As in the previous year, most of them were small laboratories fort he
Synthetic drugs were
produced at a virtually
unchanged level compared
to the previous year.
production of methamphetamine, which had a production capacity
sufficient to satisfy the operator´s personal need or to supply a limited
local circle of buyers.
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Drug trafficking and smuggling
The total number of drug seizures recorded decreased in 2009. This
development concerned almost all type of drugs.
The number of seizures
dropped with regard to
nearly all drug types.
As usual, a large number of cases concerned the smuggling of smaller
quantities of drugs, which were imported from the Netherlands into
Germany by consumers or small-scale dealers during procurement trips.
Besides the use of overland transport routes, drugs were frequently
smuggled to Germany by air couriers or by airmail consignments. In
many cases, the drugs were to be transported to other European countries
Smuggling overland, but
also by air, was observed
very frequently.
but often also to countries outside Europe.
Smuggling by sea was the exception; however, in the small number of
cases detected, the quantities of drugs transported were considerable.
In connection with the seizures, German nationals were identified as
suspects in more than half of the cases regarding almost all types of
drugs. The relevant percentage was particularly high regarding seizures
of synthetic drugs and cannabis plants. Only in connection with seizures
With regard to the
seizures, German suspects
played by far the most
prominent role.
of raw opium and khat did German nationals come to notice as suspects
in less than half of the cases.
In 6,183 cases, heroin totalling 758 kg was seized in 2009. Thus the
number of seizures decreased (-7%) while at the same time the quantity
Increase of the seized
heroin quantity mainly due
seized rose considerably (+51%).
to increased seizures in
the double-digit
kilogramme range.
The increase in the total quantity is above all the result of a significant
increase in the seized heroin quantities in the double-digit kilogramme
range.
It has been proved that larger quantities of heroin seized in Germany
originated from Bulgaria and Turkey. Several heroin shipments were
destined for other European countries, especially the Netherlands.
Among the non-German suspects, who came to notice in connection
with heroin seizures in Germany, the Turkish nationals dominated.
In 2009, 1,707 kg of cocaine in total were seized in 3,858 cases.
Compared to the previous year, this means a slight decrease in the
number of seizures (-2%) in contrast to a significant increase in the total
amount (+60%).
In contrast to the previous year, a much larger number of single
quantities were seized in 2009. For example, approx. 200 kg of cocaine
were found in a container shipped from Honduras to Belgium and
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Annual Report 2009 – Abridged Version
Major seizures led to an
increase in the total
quantity of cocaine seized.
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transported onward to Germany by lorry. In addition, 122 kg were seized
in a ship container from Uruguay, 108 kg in a container from Ecuador
destined for Nepal and 63 kg were seized in a camper van shipped from
Peru to Germany via the Netherlands.
A high frequency of smuggling operations by air from South America to
Germany was observed and mainly Brazil and Argentina were
established as significant countries of origin resp. transit.
In many cases, the cocaine seized in Germany was intended for
distribution within Europe. The drugs were often to be transported to
Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Italy was also identified
The cocaine seized was
often intended for
transport abroad.
as an important country of destination, although more rarely but with
relatively large single quantities being involved. Several airmail
consignments with smaller quantities of drugs were found in transit to
China and South Africa.
The majority of non-German suspects involved in the cocaine seizures
were Turkish nationals, clearly followed by Italian nationals.
With regard to crack, there was a considerable decline both in the
number of cases (-32%) and in the quantity seized (-44%). The vast
majority of the total quantity was seized in Hamburg.
As in previous years, the
majority of crack was
seized in Hamburg.
In connection with crack seizures, Turkish nationals clearly dominated
among the non-German suspects.
In 8,081 cases, amphetamine and methamphetamine totalling 1,383
kg was seized. Despite the drop in the number of seizures (-4%), the
quantity seized (+8%) increased fort he eighth year in succession now.
After the so far largest single seizure of amphetamine in Germany, i. e.
284 kg in 2008, this quantity was again exceeded by 360 kg seized in
Lower Saxony in 2009.
With 360 kg, the so far
largest single quantity of
amphetamine was seized.
In 446 cases (+25%), a total of just over 7 kg (+71%) of crystal
methamphetamine („crystal“) was seized. Thus, this is the only type of
drugs for which an increased number of cases was recorded compared to
the previous year. About 64% of this quantity was seized in the German
states of Saxony and Bavaria. As in the previous years, a large number
of seizures were recorded in Thuringia in which, however, much smaller
single quantities were seized on average
As in previous years, the
„crystal“-phenomenon
mainly affected the
regions near the border to
the Czech Republic.
Although most of the amphetamine proved to have been smuggled from
the Netherlands to Germany, it was also imported from Belgium or
Poland in several cases. In addition, comparably small quantities of
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amphetamine and also methamphetamine seized in Germany were found
to have originated from the Czech Republic.
In connection with the seizures of amphetamine and methamphetamine,
mainly Turkish nationals but frequently also Polish nationals were
among the non-German suspects.
The number of ecstasy seizures dropped to 1,761 cases (-35%) and thus
The number and quantity
even more clearly than the quantity seized, i. e. 521,272 tablets (-31%).
of ecstasy seizures
dropped by roughly a
third.
The large majority of the tablets, for which it has been possible to
establish the origin, came from the Netherlands.
A few of the large quantities in the four-digit range were intended for
onward transport to Austria, Italy and Switzerland and further to Poland
and other countries of Eastern and South Eastern Europe.
Among the non-German suspects, who came to notice in connection
with ecstasy seizures in Germany, Turkish and Dutch nationals
dominated.
A declining trend was observed in 2009 in respect of cannabis products
seized.
In respect of hashish, the number of seizures dropped to 9,294 (-10%).
The quantity seized decreased even more clearly, i. e. to 2,220 kg (-71%)
The quantity of cannabis
products seized decreased
because of the decrease in
major seizures.
because the size of seizures made was lower than that in the previous
year.
In respect of marihuana, the number of seizures dropped to 24,135
cases (-2%). After 5,470 kg had been seized in one single case in the
previous year, the quantity seized totalled 4,298 kg (-52%) in 2009.
Besides the Netherlands, hashish was mainly imported into Germany
from and/or via Belgium and France. In a large number of the cases, it
was possible to trace the European starting point of the smuggling in
Spain.
In respect of hashish, it
was possible to trace the
starting point of the
smuggling in Spain
comparably often.
Marihuana was smuggled from Austria, Switzerland and the Czech
Republic to Germany, mainly in smaller amounts but with a high
frequency.
Among the non-German suspects, who came to notice in connection
with seizures of cannabis products, Turkish nationals dominated.
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Drug consumption
The number of hard drug users who came to police notice fort he first
time (first time users) dropped to 18,139 individuals (-6%) in 2009.
The declining trend concerned almost all types of drugs.
Number of hard drug
users who came to police
notice fort he first time at
lowest level since 2004.
The number of first-time users of heroin (-8%) and cocaine (-10%)
remained virtually unchanged after the cocaine users ranged above the
heroin users fort he first time in the previous year. The declines in
respect of crystal methamphetamine (-18%), LSD (-20%) and especially
ecstasy (-38%) and crack (-48%) are noticeable for the year 2009. In
contrast, the number of first-time amphetamine users slightly increased
(+1%) and reached its peak in 2009.
After the number of drug deaths had increased in the two previous years,
it dropped by 8% to 1,331 individuals in 2009. Comparison over the last
ten years revealed that this is the third lowest level ever.
Despite the trend observed
during the previous two
years, the number of drug
deaths dropped.
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ILLEGAL CULTIVATION / CANNABIS PLANTATIONS
Type*
2008
2009
Outdoor plantations
102
67
- small plantations
85
56
- large plantations
15
9
- professional plantations
2
2
Indoor plantations
415
342
- small plantations
285
218
- large plantations
112
98
- professional plantations
18
26
*
The classification of cannabis plantations both outdoors and indoors is made according to the capacities between 20 and 99
plants (small plantations), between 100 and 999 plants (large plantations) and 1,000 plants and more (professional plantations).
ILLEGAL PRODUCTION / LABORATORIES
2008
2009
ATS*
22
22
GHB
3
2
Total
25
24
Type of drug
* ATS = amphetamine-type-stimulances. The 22 ATS laboratories seized in 2009 were production sites of amphetamine (6) and
methamphetamine (16).
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SEIZURES
2008
Type of drug
Cases
2009
Quantity
Cases
Changes
Quantity
Cases
Quantity
Heroin
6,638
502.8 kg
6,183
758.4 kg
-6.9 %
+50.8 %
Opium
72
82.5 kg
68
98.8 kg
-5.6 %
+19.8 %
Cocaine
3,956
1,068.6 kg
3,858
1,707.0 kg
-2.5 %
+59.7 %
Crack
1,628
8.2 kg
1,111
4.6 kg
-31.8 %
-43.9 %
Meth-/Amphetamine
8,425
1,283.2 kg
8,081
1,382.7 kg
-4.1 %
+7.8 %
(thereof Crystal)
(356)
(4.2 kg)
(446)
(7.2 kg)
(+25.3 %)
(+71.4 %)
Ecstasy
2,698
751,431 u.
1,761
521,272 u.
-34.7 %
-30.6 %
243
12,875 tr.
237
20,705 tr.
-2.5 %
+60.8 %
Hashisch
10,313
7,632.3 kg
9,294
2,220.0 kg
-9.9 %
-70.9 %
Marihuana
24,594
8,932.2 kg
24,135
4,298.0 kg
-1.9 %
-51.9 %
1,526
121,663 p.
1,359
127,718 p.
-10.9 %
+ 5.0 %
Khat
126
29,488.6 kg
121
24,004.5 kg
- 4.0 %
- 18.6 %
Psil. Mushrooms
501
17.6 kg
263
12.2 kg
- 47.5 %
- 30.7 %
LSD
Pflants
kg = kilogramme; u. = units (tablets/capsules); tr. = trips; p. = pieces
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HARD DRUG USERS WHO CAME TO POLICE NOTICE FOR THE FIRST TIME
Total
Heroin
Cocaine
Meth-/
Amphetamine
Ecstasy
Crack
Other
(***)
Period
(*)
2008
19,203
3,900
3,970
10,631
2,174
350
444
2009
18,139
3,592
3,591
10,679
1,357
181
448
Changes
-5.5 %
-7.9 %
-9.5 %
+0.5 %
-37.6 %
-48.3 %
+0.9 %
(*)
(**)
Each person is recorded only once in the column listing the total number of first-time hard drug users but may be
recorded under more than one type of drug due to poly-drug use.
(**)
Among the 10,679 persons recorded in 2009, there were 364 first- time users of crystal methamphetamine. This is a
decrease by 17.8 % compared to 2008 (443 persons).
(***)
Among the 448 persons in 2009, there were 127 first-time users of LSD. This is a decrease by 19.6 % compared to 2008
(158 persons).
DRUG DEATHS
Period
2008
2009
Number of persons
1,449
1,331
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Narcotic Drugs
Annual Report 2009 – Abridged Version
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BUNDESKRIMINALAMT
65173 Wiesbaden
[email protected]
www.bka.de
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Narcotic Drugs
Annual Report 2009 – Abridged Version