The Netherlands does not lag behind other European countries as regards the seizure of drugs by customs, the police and other investigation agencies*. The table below provides a comparative overview of seizures of illegal drugs.
| 1994 | NL | FR | GER | B | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heroin (kg) | 246 | 661 | 1590 | 137 | 824 |
| Cocaine (kg) | 8200 | 4743 | 767 | 479 | 3899 |
| Cannabis (kg) | 238258 | 58014 | 25694 | 59904 | 219195 |
| Amphetamine (kg) | 215 | 80 | 120 | 23 | 32 |
| Synthetic drugs/ tablets (x1000) |
143 | 329 | 30 | 61 | 314 |
Though it is true that the efforts put into investigation and the success achieved cannot be measured purely in terms of the quantity of drugs seized, the Dutch figures do make it clear that the police and customs authorities in the Netherlands are by no means sitting back and doing nothing. The development of methods of analysis to enable the customs authorities efficiently to monitor containers arriving at seaports and passengers arriving at airports, for example, is bearing fruit. In 1994 the amount of drugs seized by the customs authorities increased by 58% in comparison with 1993 and in the first seven months of 1995 considerably more drugs were again discovered than in the same period in 1994. Consultations will be held with the authorities in the Netherlands Antilles on whether and if so, how, checks on the export of drugs on flights to Schiphol can be stepped up.