The number of drug cases is falling, but the quantities of drugs seized are increasing. This is shown by a new report from Kripos. 8,537 drug cases were registered in the first half of this year, almost eight per cent more than last year. New group of drugs A new group of dangerous drugs has appeared on the radar in Norway, namely nitazene. The police now specifically warn against using these substances. Section head for drug analysis in Kripos, Kari Solvik. Photo: Jan Kenneth Bråten / news – These are particularly potent synthetic opioids. Four of these were seized last year, and four so far this year. Although there are only a handful of seizures, several of these are linked to overdoses and overdose deaths, says section head for drug analysis in Kripos, Kari Solvik. Nitazener was added to the authorities’ drug list in May. This group of drugs is similar to the highly dangerous drug Fentanyl, which the police have seen nothing of so far this year. Almost two tonnes of cocaine have been seized from Bama’s warehouse this year. Here from a seizure in July. Photo: The police Record year for cocaine seizures Never before have the police seized larger amounts of cocaine than this year. This is largely due to several record seizures. Among other things, at the warehouse of the fruit and vegetable supplier Bama in Oslo. Earlier this year, 712 and 803 kilograms of cocaine, respectively, were found there. The latter is the largest cocaine seizure in Norwegian history. A third seizure of 600 kilograms was also made at Bama in July, but this does not count in the statistics for the first half of the year. In addition, the police found 150 kilograms of cocaine on a ship in Husnes in Vestland earlier this year. Stronger than before In total, the police seized 1,753 kilograms of cocaine in the first half of 2023. This corresponds to 35 million user doses, with a street value of around NOK 2.2 billion. This is a huge increase from last year, when a total of 117 kilograms of cocaine was seized. – We also see that the strength of cocaine has increased. It averages 87 percent. It is very high, and means that it is almost completely clean. Ten years ago, it was between 30 and 35 per cent, says Solvik. At the same time, the number of cocaine seizures is also increasing. The police made 30 percent more seizures than last year. Cocaine makes up an increasingly large proportion of the police’s total drug seizures. – I think it’s positive Daniel Haga Hasselstrøm is a pharmacist at the Drug Analysis Service. It is an offer from the Association for Safer Drug Policy where users can test the quality of drugs. The service has tested a lot of cocaine this summer. Pharmacist at the Drug Analysis Service, Daniel Haga Hasselstrøm. Photo: Helle Fjelldalen / news – It is among the substances we test the most. Users want to ensure that they have actually received what they have bought, and not, for example, amphetamines or other drugs, he says. Cannabis still makes up the lion’s share In 2022, the police seized abnormally large amounts of cannabis. This year, the numbers are more similar to the normal in recent years, with 3,616 seizures of a total of 1,384 kilos. Cannabis still makes up the lion’s share of the total drugs seized by the police. Hashish and Marihuana made up 31 and 10 per cent respectively of the seizures in the first half of 2023. – Here too, the degree of strength has increased. The hash is of a completely different quality than 10–15 years ago, says Solvik.
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Record year for cocaine seizures – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
