VIENNA, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The instances of drug-related police charges in Austria have increased 10 percent in 2016 to mark a rising trend over the past decade, a new drug report from the interior ministry revealed on Thursday.
A total 36,235 drug-related charges were made by police last year, an increase over 2015 of 3,328, and about 50 percent more than a decade earlier.
Police seized about 86.5 kilograms of cocaine, 69 kilograms of heroin, 87.7 kilograms of amphetamine, over a ton of cannabis-related drugs, and nearly 30,000 ecstasy tablets over the course of the year.
The notable increase in police charges in 2016 was in part put down to stricter control by authorities, that include a zero-tolerance approach, and greater powers in being able to arrest street dealers.
