Border Force reports record ketamine seizures in first quarter
Border Force seized 1.3 tonnes of ketamine in early 2026, the highest in 15 years, as the government weighs reclassifying the drug.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Border Force has recorded its highest level of ketamine seizures in 15 years, with 1.3 tonnes of the drug confiscated in the first three months of 2026. The haul, equivalent to 1.3 million grams, marks a 42% rise compared with the same period last year, according to officials.
Much of the drug was brought into the country by lorry, arriving from the Hook of Holland at Harwich Port in Essex. Around a thousand lorries pass through the port daily, and Border Force teams pull aside suspicious vehicles for scanning, searches by drug sniffer dogs, and more thorough physical inspections. In one operation, officers unloaded pallets and searched through their contents.
The surge in seizures comes amid growing concern about ketamine use among young people, with reports of users as young as 11. A Border Force officer said the work at the port was "so, so important and so valuable for the people in Britain" in preventing young people from getting hold of the drug.
The government is still deciding whether to reclassify ketamine. In January, its independent expert panel on drug policy suggested keeping it as a class B drug, which carries up to five years in prison for possession. There have been suggestions the government could go against that advice and make it a class A drug, bringing it in line with cocaine and heroin. A government response is expected shortly.
While the decision is pending, searches at ports continue. Families affected by ketamine are waiting to hear what happens next.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| Border Force seized 1.3 tonnes of ketamine in the first three months of 2026, the highest total in 15 years. | |
| Much of the drug was brought into the UK by lorries from the Hook of Holland to Harwich. | |
| The government is still considering whether to reclassify ketamine as a class A drug. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 focused on the practical work at Harwich Port, showing the search process and the scale of the seizures. It also highlighted the human impact on young people and the unresolved government decision on reclassification, giving a sense of ongoing uncertainty.
- “Record amounts of the drug ketamine were seized by Border Force officials in the first three months of this year. 1.3 tons were confiscated.”
- “Too many young people are getting hold of ketamine, taking ketamine, putting their lives at risk and this job and the work that's being done here is so, so important and so valuable for the people in Britain.”
- “We're still considering it and we will be responding very shortly.”
Broadcast Timeline
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