More than 3'000 people were arrested in the Balearics last year on drug-related charges, according to figures released by the Ministry for Justice. Despite Spain's lax drugs laws drug-trafficking and smuggling is one of the principal causes of crime in the Balearics at the moment. The report stated that overall last year 13'000 kilos of hashish, 25 kilos of cocaine and 1.5 kilos of heroin were seized by police and customs officials. Compared to other regions of Spain, seizures and arrests were low in the Balearics even though the islands are used as an entry point for drugs, especially hashish from North Africa. Topping the list in Spain was Andalucia where almost 25'000 people were arrested and tried for drug related charges. Madrid was the place where the most seizures were made with more than 484 kilos seized last year. In the big provinces arrest rates were high with almost 13'000 people being detained in Valencia, a similar number in Barcelona and more than 10'000 in the Canary Islands.
3.000 people arrested on drugs charges in Balearics