Russian authorities said Tuesday that drug‑related crimes fell by more than 40 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier, marking one of the steepest declines in recent years.
The Security Council’s executive office said drug offenses now account for 9.2 percent of all crimes, down from 12.8 percent. Officials attributed the drop to intensified enforcement and changes in trafficking patterns.
Despite the overall decrease, charges for drug sales rose 3 percent and major‑amount offenses increased 1.5 percent, reflecting what authorities described as a shift toward targeting large‑scale distribution networks.
More than 6.5 tonnes of narcotic and psychotropic substances were seized between January and March. Heroin seizures continued to fall, a trend linked to reduced global opium trafficking.
Officials said Russia’s underground drug market remains driven by domestic production, smuggling of controlled substances, and illegal cultivation of hemp. Over 80 percent of direct drug sales occurred online, prompting continued efforts by Roskomnadzor and the Interior Ministry to block access to illicit websites.