Illegal drug consignments - completed 2023

Research Focus

The development of online markets has facilitated the trade in illegal drugs. Unlike traditional drug transactions, where the vendor usually delivers in person, the delivery of drugs purchased online remains deeply tied to postal distribution networks.

Relatively little is known about many aspects of online drug markets; therefore, using data provided by the National Crime Agency (NCA), this project aimed to gain insights from intercepted parcels about the nature and type of drugs entering Scottish communities and the potential impact this might be having. Specifically, this project focuses on three key issues:

• Examining the profile and characteristics of drug parcel destinations and the presence of spatial clusters which may point to drug delivery hot-spots;
• Assessing the possible motivation of drug purchasers in terms of whether the drugs were intended for personal consumption, social dealing/heavy personal use or wholesale supply;
• Investigating the ‘controlled delivery’ of illegal drug parcels by law enforcement officers in Scotland to determine whether policing practice aligns with a public health approach focused on drug-related harm.

Data this research aims to link and analyse

• A bespoke NCA dataset on illegal drug parcels intercepted by the UK Border Force
• Open source data from the 2011 Scottish Census
• Open source data from the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
• Other open source data from Police Scotland and Public Health Scotland

Research team

Professor Susan McVie (with Ben Mathews and Ana Morales)

Project completed January 2023.

Publications, Outputs and Media Coverage