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29 June 2012 08:29
The number of British nationals arrested abroad is increasing, new statistics show
The number of British nationals arrested abroad is increasing, new statistics show.
Between April 2011 and March 2012, 6% more Britons were arrested in a foreign country than the previous year, a total of 6,015 - not all of whom have travel insurance to cover such an incident.
The Foreign Office (FO) said the figures included a 2% increase in cases of Britons arrested for drug-related offences.
Topping the list of oversees destinations where British people - whether holidaymakers or expatriate residents - were arrested was Spain.
The FO said it handled 1,909 cases in the country, an increase of 9% on last year. After Spain, the United States saw the most detentions, with 1,305, up 3% on 2010-11.
Anecdotal evidence suggests a high proportion of incidents, especially in tourist spots like the Canary Islands and the Balearics (such as Majorca and Ibiza), involved alcohol consumption.
Consular affairs minister Jeremy Browne said: "It is important that people understand that taking risks abroad can land them on the wrong side of the law."
The country where the highest number Britons was arrested for drug-related offences was the USA, with 147, followed closely by Spain with 141.
But the highest proportion of drugs arrests occurred in Peru, where out of only 17 arrests in the country, 15 were related to drugs.
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