In the first half of this year, customs officers confiscated more than twice as much cocaine as in the same period last year. So far this year, 77 shipments with a total of 25,599 kilograms of cocaine were intercepted and seized, compared to 60 shipments with 12,160 kilograms of cocaine in the first half of last year.

These drug shipments were intercepted mainly in the ports of Rotterdam and Vlissingen. The biggest catch was a shipment of 4,515 kilograms of cocaine in Vlissingen in April.

Another 648 kilograms of cocaine was caught by customs officers in investigations unrelated to the seaports.

Customs attributes the increase to better and more intensive cooperation with both national detection services and international customs services. According to the service, it is not clear whether more cocaine is being shipped to and through the Netherlands, or whether the authorities are just getting better at catching shipments.

Customs officers also noticed an increase in synthetic drugs, ecstasy and speed in particular, being sent out of the Netherlands by post. The Dutch authorities are working closely with the authorities in the United States and Australia on this front.