Record drug seizures at Keflavik Airport
There has been a significant increase in liquid cocaine seized at the airport. There have been cases of it being smuggled internally. Photo/Southern Region Police
Just five months into the year, 2025 is already shaping up to be a record-breaking year for drug seizures at Keflavík Airport, with authorities reporting unprecedented amounts of cocaine, cannabis, and OxyContin intercepted at the border.
According to Jón Halldór Sigurðsson, a police officer leading organized crime investigations for the Suðurnes Police, there has been a sharp rise in drug trafficking cases, particularly involving cocaine.
"We are seeing a very large year-on-year increase, and we’re already on track for a record year," says Sigurðsson. So far, police have seized 40.26 kilograms of cocaine at the airport — a figure that is expected to climb significantly in the coming months.
"If the current trend continues, we could see the total reach at least 60 kilograms by the end of the year," he adds.
This would mark a substantial jump from 35.49 kilograms seized in 2024 and 41.25 kilograms in 2023.
Authorities have also confiscated 9.78 liters of liquid cocaine in 2025 — a stark increase compared to 3.23 liters in 2024, and notably, no liquid cocaine was seized in 2023.
The police in Suðurnes have seized 109.648 kg of cannabis at the border so far this year. Photo/Police
Sharp rise in OxyContin and cannabis seizures
The surge in drug smuggling is not limited to cocaine. Police have also seen a dramatic rise in the number of OxyContin tablets and similar substances being brought into the country.
In just under five months, officers have seized 20,576 tablets at Keflavík Airport — almost triple the amount confiscated in all of 2024, which totaled 7,526 tablets, and nearly double the 10,131 tablets seized in 2023.
Cannabis seizures, while not yet exceeding previous years' totals, are also on the rise. As of now, 109.65 kilograms of cannabis have been intercepted, compared to 172.71 kilograms in 2024 and 125.23 kilograms in 2023.
With 2025 not even halfway through, law enforcement agencies are preparing for what could be the busiest year yet in Iceland’s fight against drug trafficking — and all signs point to a continuing upward trend.
