Isle of Man crime rises by 18% due to drug seizures and violence

Overall crime on the island of rose by 18% during the coronavirus pandemic

A spike in drug seizures and drug-related violence has contributed to an 18% rise in crime on the Isle of Man, the chief constable has said.

Gary Roberts said the pandemic had changed the way drugs were being imported, with a large increase in smaller amounts sent through the post.

He said Isle of Man Police had made more individual seizures of controlled drugs "than ever before".

Those actions had "no doubt exacerbated problems of violence", he added.

Mr Roberts said several serious assault were believed to be "linked to debt in the illegal drugs trade" as the victims in 45% of those cases had "refused to co-operate with the police".

Gary Roberts said drug seizures had increased drug debt on the island

In his latest annual report, Mr Roberts described the past year as one "like no other" as the force "learned to deal with the effects of a global pandemic".

"The success of the police in seizing drugs or cash and then trying to dismantle a local network of suppliers, usually leads to debt, which in turn leads to violence," he said.

The police had "increasingly encountered young people, who are being exploited by criminals from here and from Merseyside", he added.

During the year, the number of drugs offences recorded rose from 478 to 637, an increase of 33%.

Crimes recorded involving offensive weapons increased by 75%, from 32 to 56, and serious assaults rose by 26%, from 99 to 125.

The latest statistics also revealed rises in sexual assaults of 15% and common assaults of 26%.

Police said a 50% increase in fraud offences was partly down to a change in the way cybercrime is now recorded by the force.