MORE than 9000 drug-related crimes were recorded by police in Glasgow last year.

Figures released to the Evening Times under Freedom of Information legislation show that possession of drugs is the most common offence, accounting for 8108 reports to the fiscal.

There were 798 recorded crimes relating to the supply of drugs and 211 connected to their production, manufacture and cultivation.

However, not one crime concerning the illegal importation of drugs was recorded by police.

The total number of drug-related crimes recorded by police has remained relatively static in recent years.

Figures for 2013/14 show 9195 offences, down from 9640 the previous year.

In the last five years the highest number of drug-related crimes in any 12 month period was 9856, in 2009/10.

That figure dropped dramatically to 8008 the following year then rose again to 9092 in 2011/12.

The statistics obtained under Freedom of Information also show that the number of detected crimes has generally followed the same pattern as recorded crime.

There were 9006 drug-related crimes detected by officers in Glasgow last year, down from 9550 the year before.

In 2009/10 the number of detected crimes reached 9792 before falling to 7914 the following year, then rising again to 9020 in 2011/12.