Customs seized nearly 24,500 kg of cocaine last year; Sharp rise in illegal tobacco

The drug smugglers most frequently tried to bring into Nederland in 2025 was cocaine, with Dutch Customs, reporting based on 2025 data, seizing more than 24,000 kg in total across ports, airports, and postal routes. The largest share intercepted at Rotterdam port, followed by Vlissingen/Moerdijk port, Amsterdam port, Schiphol airport, and smaller amounts via mail and couriers.

Cannabis was also seized in very large volumes, driven especially by Schiphol airport and postal channels, while methamphetamine, MDMA/XTC, hashish, qat, amphetamine, heroin, and LSD were also intercepted in varying quantities across the same entry routes.

Cocaine seizures were led by Rotterdam port at 11,539 kg, followed by Vlissingen/Moerdijk port at 7,349 kg, Amsterdam port at 4,712 kg, and Schiphol airport at 819 kg. Postal and courier services accounted for 25 kg, while other, unspecified routes added 13 kg.

Cannabis seizures were substantial across multiple flows, including 5,900 kg at Schiphol airport across 2,834 seizures, 535 kg via postal and courier services across 3,035 seizures, and 5,589 kg via other channels across 628 seizures. Additional reported totals included 853 kg across 10 seizures and 52,655 kg across 19 seizures. Hashish seizures included 261 kg at Schiphol airport, 26 kg via postal and courier services, and 318 kg via other channels.

Methamphetamine seizures included 3 kg at Rotterdam Port, 5 kg at Schiphol airport, 13 kg via postal and courier services across 414 seizures, and 67 kg across seven seizures in other channels. MDMA and XTC were heavily concentrated at Schiphol airport, with 40 kg across 185 seizures, while postal and courier services accounted for 210 kg across 2,549 seizures and other channels for 57 kg across 17 seizures. Qat totaled 1,038 kg across 243 seizures, including 424 kg via postal routes and 266 kg via other channels.

LSD seizures were mostly small-scale but frequent, with 2 kg across 2,103 postal seizures, 29 attempted imports at Schiphol airport, and one seizure in other channels. Amphetamine seizures only included 24 kg via postal and courier services across 636 seizures, plus smaller amounts of 2 kg and 1 kg across other routes. Heroin seizures also remained limited, with 259 kg at Rotterdam port across two seizures, 7 kg at Schiphol airport, and 3 kg via postal services.

Illegal tobacco, however, was heavily targeted, with Douane seizing 254.3 million cigarettes in 2025, up from 217 million in 2024. Most of the illicit tobacco entered via international cargo and shipping routes before being intercepted across Dutch ports and distribution channels. Officials said the seizures would have represented about 168 million euros in lost excise revenue if they had reached the market.