VALLETTA, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Law enforcement authorities in Malta have seized a record amount of drugs so far this year, according to data tabled in parliament this week.
So far this year, the Malta Police Force seized 322 kilograms of cocaine, 600 kilograms of cannabis resin, over 30 kilograms of cannabis grass, and some 13.5 kilograms of heroin between January and September.
The statistics were presented in parliament by Home Affairs minister Michael Farrugia, in response to a parliamentary question by Government MP Glenn Bedingfield.
In his reply, Farrugia noted that in addition to the above-mentioned drugs, the police had also seized 1 kilogram of "synthetic drugs", over 96 million Tramadol tablets, 8 kilograms of the drug "Clonazepam", as well as drugs like ketamine, mephedrone, methamphetamine, and 393 ecstasy tablets.
2017 saw authorities make their largest ever haul of both cocaine and cannabis. Three hundred kilos of cocaine was discovered in a container transiting Malta from Spain last March, while 550 kilos of cannabis were seized by police in a raid last month.
The record cannabis haul comes as Malta is set to commence a national debate, leading to the eventual legalisation of cannabis, as promised in the manifesto upon which the Labour Party was elected to power in last June's general election.
