Rotterdam and Vlissingen, two major Dutch ports, saw a significant shift in drug seizures in 2025, with a decrease in intercepted cocaine alongside a dramatic surge in cannabis confiscations. The changing trends highlight the evolving strategies of drug traffickers and the challenges facing law enforcement.
Authorities seized 11,466 kilograms of cocaine in the Rotterdam harbor last year, a decrease of more than 50% compared to the 25,900 kilograms seized in 2024, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. In Vlissingen, 7,292 kilograms of cocaine were confiscated, slightly less than the 8,939 kilograms seized the previous year. These figures represent the fourth consecutive year of declining cocaine interceptions in Rotterdam.
Although, the amount of cannabis seized skyrocketed. Rotterdam authorities intercepted a total of 53,981 kilograms of cannabis in 2025, compared to 9,899 kilograms in 2024. The number of cannabis shipments rose from seven to 21, with the largest single seizure totaling 33,000 kilograms originating from South Africa. Vlissingen also experienced an increase in cannabis seizures, jumping from two to fifteen shipments.
The collaborative Hit and Run Cargo team (HARC), comprised of Customs, the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD), the Harbor Police, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, discovered a total of 172 drug shipments of various types last year, down from 189 in 2024. Of those, Customs and the Harbor Police in Zeeland-West Brabant identified 24 shipments in Vlissingen, compared to 15 in 2024. These findings triggered 55 criminal investigations, a decrease from the 80 investigations launched in 2024, which authorities attribute to the complexity and time-consuming nature of the cases.
Officials noted a growing trend of cannabis smuggling, particularly from Canada, where cannabis has been legally cultivated since 2018. RTL.nl reports that this method of smuggling is considered less risky than cocaine trafficking while offering comparable profits. The increase in cannabis seizures underscores a shift in criminal activity towards more readily available and lucrative alternatives.
While cannabis seizures increased significantly in Rotterdam, Vlissingen saw a decrease in the total kilograms of cannabis intercepted – 196 kilograms in 2025 compared to 1,368 kilograms in 2024. Despite this difference, the overall increase in the number of shipments indicates a broadening of cannabis smuggling operations in both ports.
