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ACCESSORIES: The year of the crown was marked by large seizures of marijuana, reports the Customs Service. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB
Fewer but larger seizures is Customs’ decision in 2020. More than 3.5 times more marijuana was seized than the previous year.
Despite stricter border control in peacetime, customs seizure statistics remained at a high level in 2020. Customs director Øystein Børmer is surprised by the amounts, as passenger traffic through the border almost ceased last year.
– Organized criminals are adaptable and have reduced the use of couriers in passenger traffic. Instead, they focus on hiding in the usual freight traffic. We also see that more people are testing remote and low-traffic transitions, says Børmer.
– Does not struggle with supply problems
2020 meant higher, but fewer seizures of classic smuggled goods. In addition, the total amount of cigarettes, meat and marijuana seized increased from the previous year. In the case of marijuana, the total number of seizures increased from 101 kg in 2019 to 368 kg in 2020.
Drug markets in Norway are not characterized by major supply problems, as seen by the Customs Service. The same trend is reported in other European countries. However, the drugs seized have changed during the pandemic.
– In 2020, Customs made significantly fewer seizures of drugs typically used in social contexts, such as cocaine and ecstasy. We believe this is related to the fact that social closure and restrictions result in less attachment. Thus, both the demand and the smuggling of this type of drug decrease, explains Børmer.
SEVERAGE: The amount of marijuana seized increased in 2020 over the previous year. The photo was taken after police found more than 700 kilos of hashish in a trailer in Skien on November 21 last year. Photo: Police / NTB
Counterfeit medical products
During cooperation with other authorities, Customs has tried during the pandemic to prevent poor infection control equipment and counterfeit drugs from being transported into the country.
– When the pandemic broke out, there was a great demand for various types of infection control equipment that the market could not meet. This lawsuit tempted criminals and criminals, who quickly attempted to import and smuggle substandard and counterfeit medical products. Today, our assessment is that the monitoring and control of infection control teams entering Norway are well taken care of, says Børmer.
The customs service also believes that the pandemic has helped strengthen the trend of ordering illegal and prescription drugs online.
– It is unfortunate that once again we have to warn people not to order medicines online. Many people try to order narcotics with a sedative or analgesic effect. Others request remedies that they have read that can protect against coronary heart disease. First, it is illegal, and second, the products can be directly harmful to health, says Børmer.
