Liverpool has recorded the highest rate of drug crime in England and Wales, according to new Home Office figures. The data reveals that while many types of recorded crime fell over the past year, drug offences increased by 18% nationally.
Police recorded more than 230,000 crimes involving the possession, supply, or production of drugs across England and Wales. In Liverpool, officers recorded 7,770 drug offences during 2025, a 19% rise on the previous year and the highest total of any local authority, as reported by the Liverpool Echo. This equates to more than 20 drug offences recorded every day, or approximately one every 68 minutes.
Enforcement and Gang Violence
Merseyside Police previously stated that the increase reflects intensified enforcement activity, including more arrests and warrants targeting organised crime groups involved in the drugs trade. This follows a series of high-profile incidents linked to suspected gang activity in the city. In June, two shootings were reported in the Toxteth area following what police described as an escalation in violence between rival groups. In March, a teenage girl was shot in the legs in Toxteth.
Outside Liverpool, Manchester recorded 6,631 drug offences in 2025, a 31% increase year-on-year. Birmingham saw 4,680 offences (up 23%), while Leeds recorded 3,114 offences (up 7%).
Per Capita Drug Crime Rates
When population size is considered, Liverpool also had the highest drug crime rate in England and Wales, with 15 drug offences per 1,000 residents. Westminster had the second-highest rate (13 offences per 1,000 people), followed by Manchester (11). Islington and Knowsley each recorded nine drug offences per 1,000 residents.
The Home Office figures encompass offences related to possession, supply, and production of drugs. Many supply and production offences are linked to organised criminal groups, although lower-level possession offences are also included.
Police Response and Proactive Policing
Assistant Chief Constable Andy Ryan, Head of Crime and Intelligence for Merseyside Police—which saw a 13% force-wide rise in drug crime—stated: "The most eye-catching increase is a 13% increase in drug offences. Although we understand that such an increase may cause concern, we don't necessarily see an increase in drug arrests as a negative result, but in part as a result of proactive resources being invested in the issue. In the past year, our policing of serious and organised crime has led to significant numbers of warrants, arrests, charges and sentences—some brilliant—across many strands of the force. We are constantly looking for information and opportunities to target drug offences and offenders, and such proactive policing will naturally result in more offences being identified."
High levels of drug crime can lead to a rise in other types of offending, such as violence and intimidation, particularly when rival gangs fight over territory. Police have stepped up efforts to tackle "county lines" gangs and disrupt supply chains in response.
National Framework and Arrests
A framework called "Clear Hold Build" was rolled out nationally in 2024 to tackle serious organised crime in neighbourhoods and communities. The scheme provides police forces with a blueprint to transform areas by linking organised crime specialists with neighbourhood policing teams to address specific challenges. The National Police Chiefs Council announced that 1,254 people had been arrested, 331 people charged, and offenders sentenced to a combined total of more than 438 years.
