The police seized more than 20 kilograms of cocaine last year, four times the amount confiscated just two years before, official data shows.
Yet, despite the increase in cocaine seizures, cannabis remained the most popular confiscated drug, with more than 108 kilograms of cannabis resin found by the police. In 2014, this figure stood at only 42 kilograms.
In addition to the cannabis resin, the police also seized 88 cannabis plants, 10 times the amount confiscated two years before as well as 12 kilograms of cannabis grass, the data showed.
A report published by the EU’s drug agency late last year indicated that dabbling in cannabis use started from a young age, with 13 per cent of all 15-year-old students in Malta claiming to have used the drug at least once.
Apart from last year’s figures, which were tabled in Parliament earlier this week by Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela, the latest data available is from 2014, the year before Malta’s drug lawswere overhauled to decriminalise simple possession.
13 per cent of all 15-year-old students in Malta claim to have used the cannabis at least once
Following the changes which came into force in 2015, simple possession of small quantities of drugs (up to two grams, or two pills of ecstasy or similar substances) are subject only to fines ranging from €75 to €125. Possession of less than 3.5g of cannabis carries penalties of between €50 and €100.
There were 3,739 ecstasy tablets confiscated last year up from 334 tablets in 2014. The police also confiscated 0.01 kilograms of crack cocaine, 0.004 kilograms of mephedrone, 0.1 kilograms of legal highs, 0.4 kilograms of MDMA powder, two pieces of LSD, 8.5 kilograms of ketamine, 5.9 kilograms of khat and half a kilogram of cutting agent.
Last year, a number of drug finds were made by the police following what they described as “weeks of intensive work”.
In August, about 15 kilograms of cocaine were found in a car that had just arrived in Malta from Italy and hidden in the rear of the car.
The discovery was made by members of the police force’s drug squad who worked in collaboration with customs’ law enforcement section.