Drugs have been linked to more than half of murders in the past four years, shocking figures have revealed.
Analysis by the Office for National Statistics revealed 310 of the 591 killings last year were drug-related.
One in four suspected murderers were drug dealers, whilst almost half of suspects were regular drug users.
Analysis of murder victims also revealed one in three regularly took drugs, while one in six were drug dealers themselves.
It is the fourth year in a row over 50% of murders have been linked to drugs. The trend began in April 2019 and will reignite calls for tougher action on drug dealers.
Callum Newton, from Onward think tank, told the Daily Express: “Drugs are plaguing Britain’s streets – and with half of all murders now linked to these life-wrecking substances, efforts to tackle them must be doubled.
“One of the reasons why people feel unsafe in their community is because they can all too often tell you where criminals deal and see where people use them.
“But there aren’t enough officers patrolling the streets to combat the visible problem. It chips away at public confidence, and criminals exploit the policing vacuum on Britain’s streets.”
Festus Akinbusoye, Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Illegal drugs not only ruin lives, they also cost lives. There is no such thing as recreational drug use when we consider the wider social impact and extreme violence that line its supply chain.
“I and other Police and Crime Commissioners are backing the government’s ten-year drugs strategy to reduce the level of drug addiction in the country, as well as tougher enforcement action against suppliers.”
Analysis by this newspaper has revealed over 300 killings have been linked to drugs since April 2017.
The record number was between April 2021 and March 2022 – 361.
Policing Minister Chris Philp said: “I welcome the 14% reduction in drug related deaths year on year, from 361 down to 310. However, the level of drug related deaths underlines the need to fight the scourge of drug addiction and supply.
“We are sticking to our plan by investing in intercepting drugs at the border resulting in record seizures, clamping down on county lines and going after drug gangs.
“It’s also why an extra £580 million over 3 years has been invested in drug treatment with the aim of getting 55,000 more people into treatment.
