Seizures of illicit prescription drugs soaring

Seizures of illicit anti-anxiety and hypnotic medication have soared in the last two years.

Seizures of benzodiazepines, a group of anti-anxiety medication, jumped 11-fold between 2013 and 2015, while seizures of so-called Z-drugs, a group of hypnotics, rose six-fold in the same time period.

Statistics provided by the Health Products Regulatory Authority show: