Estonia, Legislation, Markets and Companies

In the first half of this year, the police's drug investigation units over Estonia registered 573 drug-related crimes, which is by 126 more than in the same period last year. The quantity of drugs seized has increased significantly, Police and Border Guard Board announced.

Most of the criminal proceedings were initiated under the section relating to the handling of large quantities of narcotic substances. Of the 430 such cases, a little more than half were registered in Tallinn.

"Fortunately, the growth figures do not mean that the number of drug offenders has increased exponentially in Estonia. By nature, handling drugs is a type of hidden crime, and mostly there is no victim in this chain who would inform the police. I see dedicated and effective work of police officers as the cause for the increase of the number of proceedings now," said the Central Criminal Police Drug Unit Head Toomas Loho.

This year has seen a significant increase in the number of cases of transferring drugs to a minor. In the first half of last year, the police identified 23 such cases, but this year, 53.

This year has seen also a significant increase in the amount of drugs seized. While during the whole of last year, the police confiscated nearly 134 kilograms of drugs or their source materials necessary for manufacturing them, this year, that amount is more than twice that - 284 kilograms, already in the first six months.