The data, which was released ahead of the FCO’s full British Behaviour Abroad report next month, shows that 6,015 arrests occurred between April 2011 and March 2012. This represents a rise of 6% on the previous 12-month period, when just 5,700 overseas detentions of Britons were reported.
Spain accounted for almost one-third of all arrests (1,909) of British visitors and residents during the past year, up 9%, with anecdotal evidence from embassies and consulates suggesting that many offences in mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands were “alcohol-fuelled”.
However, the US was not far behind, with a total of 1,305 detentions – a rise of 3% on the previous 12 months. Indeed, authorities in America made more drug-related arrests than in any other country with 147 (up 11% on the previous year), ahead of Spain on 141 (a rise of 7%).
Drug arrests were 2% higher across the board, the FCO said. Hot spots included Brazil, Jamaica, Peru, Serbia, and Trinidad and Tobago, where more than 70% of overall detentions were drug-related.
It was not all bad news for British behaviour abroad, however. France, the destination for 19.3m visiting Britons, saw an 11% decrease in the number of arrests. Australia, home to almost 1.2m British nationals, saw a similar decline of 10%, with the total number of detentions falling to 112.
Nevertheless, the FCO said, consular staff across the globe spend some 35% of their time dealing with cases of British nationals who are detained or imprisoned abroad. "Whilst we will work hard to try and ensure the safety of British nationals abroad, we cannot interfere in another country’s legal system," warned Jeremy Browne, minister of state for consular affairs.
"Many people are shocked to discover that the FCO cannot get them out of jail. We always provide consular support to British nationals in difficulty overseas. However, having a British passport does not make you immune to foreign laws and will not get you special treatment in prison."
| Country | No. of visitors | No. of British residents | Total arrests/detentions 2011/2012 | Percentage increase/decrease from 2010/11 |
| Spain | 13,600,000 | 808,000 | 1,909 | 9% |
| US | 5,525,000 | 829,000 | 1,305 | 3% |
| Thailand | 844,224 | 50,000 | 204 | 2% |
| UAE | 1,000,000 | 100,000 | 201 | -7% |
| Cyprus | 1,069,190 | 59,000 | 164 | 9% |
| China | 939,160 | 47,000 | 149 | 14% |
| France | 19,300,000 | 253,000 | 142 | -11% |
| Canada | 1,000,000 | 611,000 | 123 | 23% |
| Germany | 2,054,839 | 141,706 | 118 | 9% |
| Australia | 614,000 | 1,193,000 | 112 | -10% |
