Heroin and Cocaine

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the proportion of (a) heroin and (b) cocaine seized in the last 12 months for which figures are available, with a degree of purity of (i) less than 20 per cent., (ii) 20 to 30 per cent., (iii) 30 to 40 per cent., (iv) 40 to 50 per cent., (v) 50 to 60 per cent. and (vi) 60 per cent. and above; and what quantity was seized in each band. [79898]

 

Mr. George Howarth: Figures for the purity of heroin and cocaine submitted for analysis to the Forensic Science Service in 1997, the last year for which data are available, are given in the tables. The figures have been broken down by type of enforcement agency since the amounts seized in each purity band are only readily available for Customs. Further information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. It should be noted that only a small proportion of drugs seized are submitted for forensic analysis. (21 Apr 1999 : Column: 579)

Purity of heroin submitted for analysis to the Forensic Science Service by police and Customs, for specific bands, 1997
	Police					Customs
Percent purity	Number of seizures	% of FSS total	Quantity seized (grams)	Number of seizures			% of FSS total	Quantity seized (grams)
< 20	165	14	--	13			16	161,798
20-29	250	21	--	16			20	40,799
30-39	272	23	--	13			16	111,978
40-49	277	23	--	11			14	437,077
50-59	185	15	--	17			21	84,742
60 +	57	5	--	11			14	261,723
Total FSS	1,206	100	--	81			100	1,098,117
UK total	12,311		488,700	163				1,747,200

Sources: Forensic Science Service; and Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (UK totals)

Purity of cocaine submitted for analysis to the Forensic Science Service by police and Customs, for specific bands, 1997
	Police					Customs
Percent purity	No.of seizures	% of FSS total	Quantity seized (grams)	Number of seizures			% of FSS total	Quantity seized (grams)
< 20	39	6	--	1			< 1	309
20-29	66	10	--	5			1	3,592
30-39	78	12	--	12			3	15,714
40-49	94	15	--	18			4	24,070
50-59	81	13	--	55			12	49,897
60 +	275	43	--	385			81	1,519,438
Total FSS	633	100	--	476			100	1,613,021
UK total	3,003		279,000	684				2,071,200

Sources: Forensic Science Service; and Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (UK totals)

Hansard 21 Apr 1999 : Column: 581)