Narcotics crime in North Rhine-Westphalia has risen continuously over the last 10 years. In 2021, the highest level of the last 20 years was reached with 74,623 offenses.
Narcotics crime includes all narcotics offenses under the Narcotics Act (BtMG), the New Psychoactive Substances Act (NpSG) and the Criminal Code (StGB) if they were committed to directly obtain BtM.
While around 30 percent of cases fall under the offense of supplying the market (trafficking, smuggling, import, cultivation, production, violation of the NpSG), 70 percent are attributable to consumption offenses.
Recommendations for action
- Unknown mail items that are returned to the post office should not be opened.
- Instead, inform the police
- Parents should also keep a close eye on which mail items are sent to their children. The sale of drugs on the Internet means that they can be sold at the click of a mouse and sent by post "to every child's room", so to speak.
Further information
- Program Police Crime Prevention of the Federal States and the Federal Government (ProPK), www.polizeifürdich, website for children and young people on the subject of legal and illegal drugs
- Internet site of the Federal Centre for Health Education, www.drugcom.de on the subject of drugs and addiction