ATS seizures and dismantled laboratories

Seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) continue to grow globally, dominated by methamphetamine.

• Quantities of ATS seized have increased more than for any other drug category, reaching a record 604 tons in 2024; methamphetamine dominates both seizures and dismantled laboratories, followed by amphetamine.
• More synthetic cathinones under international control were seized over the 2020-2024 period (32.5 tons) than synthetic cathinones still falling under the NPS category (5.6 tons), suggesting that international control paves the way for law enforcement to undertake such seizures.
• While ATS seizures have grown sharply, the number of laboratories reported to have been dismantled has fallen substantially over the past decade, primarily as a result of a strong decline in the number of small-scale methamphetamine laboratories and the apparent rise of large-scale laboratories (“super labs”) –accounting for a significant part of total illegal methamphetamine manufacture.
• Regional seizure patterns remain highly distinct between 2020–2024:
• Methamphetamine dominates in North America, Oceania, East and South-East Asia, South Asia, South-West Asia, East Africa and Southern Africa.
• Amphetamine is the main ATS seized in the Near and Middle East and parts of Europe.
• ATS seizures in most countries of the former Soviet Union are dominated by synthetic cathinones.
• “Ecstasy” dominates ATS seizures in South America.