Drug offences recorded by police in England and Wales have surged by nearly a fifth to more than 230,000 in a single year, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The total number of recorded drug crimes reached 230,783 in 2025, marking an 18% increase compared to the previous year and representing the highest figure since 2011.
Record Highs for Drug Trafficking
Within the drug offence category, drug trafficking offences saw a particularly sharp rise, increasing by 26% to just under 76,000 cases. This is the highest number of recorded drug trafficking offences ever documented. The ONS data highlights a growing trend in serious drug-related criminal activity across England and Wales.
Sex Offences and Robbery Also Rise
Other types of crime also showed increases. Sex offences recorded by police climbed to a record level of 215,180 in the year, up 5% from 2024. Robbery offences reached the highest level in five years, with 84,666 incidents recorded. These figures suggest a broader upward trend in certain violent and sexual crimes.
Shoplifting Dips Slightly
In contrast, recorded shoplifting offences dipped by 1% to 509,566 incidents, after rising significantly each year since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, retailers have previously insisted that the shoplifting crimewave is far from over, describing how many shopkeepers have given up reporting every incident to police. This suggests the actual number of shoplifting incidents may be higher than official records indicate.
Overall Crime Trends
Total recorded crime, excluding fraud and computer offences, decreased by 2% to 5.24 million. The Crime Survey of England and Wales, which is based on thousands of interviews with the public and designed to capture crimes not reported to police, showed that overall crime levels remained stable at 9.6 million incidents. The survey provides a more comprehensive picture of crime, including unreported offences.
