– We have had seizures of drugs that have been transported across the border by toboggan and mountain bike, says department head Asle Farberg in the Customs’ border department in eastern Norway. The creative smuggling attempts have so far been unknown methods for the customs officers, according to Farberg. The smugglers have found other modes of transport than traditional lorries, believes department head Asle Farberg in the customs department’s border department in eastern Norway. Photo: Tolllvesenet / nyebilder.no In 2020 and 2021, there was a sharp decline in the number of drug seizures, compared with the years before the pandemic. The customs service believes there are several reasons for the decline: Car traffic across the border was very limited Strict border control with both police and soldiers They had to reallocate their resources However, this does not mean that the smuggling attempts failed. 50 kg hashish on toboggan boards Several smugglers are said to have opted out of the busy border crossings at Svinesund and Ørje, in favor of smaller border crossings in the Inland. The areas around Trysil and Kongsvinger had some of the most special situations the customs revealed during the pandemic. A tip from a car salvage led the customs officers to a car that would not start near the border with Sweden. It turned out that it was parked there by smugglers who had transported drugs on two toboggans for three to four kilometers across the border. – It was a significant amount. There were bakers with a total of 50 kilos of hashish, says Farberg. The sledges were used by the smugglers to transport the hashish across the border. For several kilometers, the smugglers had dragged the sledges through the forest. – If we are going to talk about a trend, then it is probably correct to say that it has come north in our area, says Farberg. The customs officers saw that the smugglers were tempted to use some of the less trafficked border crossings, often further north in Eastern Norway than before. Reveals more in the Inland – We have revealed increased activity compared to before, says Bjørn Ellingsen. He is police station chief at Magnormoen police station in Eidskog. It is located close to the Swedish border in the Inland. Ellingsen says that the smugglers cross the border in many different ways. While some prefer to grab their legs, others use a bicycle, quad bike, snowmobile or toboggan. – It is only the creativity that stops what kind of methods they use, the police station chief states. Bjørn Ellingsen, Chief of Police at the Border Police Station at Magnormoen in Eidskog. Photo: Ann-Kristin Mo / news – Has no good explanation Another smuggling attempt was uncovered by soldiers from the Home Guard who monitored the border during the pandemic. – They thought it was a bit special with a mountain bike observation one late night, so they tipped us, says Farberg in the Customs. The smuggler, who crossed the border on two wheels, was carrying amphetamines and cocaine with a total weight of over 70 kilos. – He seemed almost relieved when he was stopped, police lawyer Marit Fiskerud Welo told news last year. Drugs seized at Magnor in Eidskog in April last year. A cyclist was stopped with more than 70 kilos of amphetamine and cocaine. Photo: The police Although the borders have reopened and car traffic from Sweden is about the same as before, the number of seizures has not returned to the same levels as before the pandemic. – We have no good explanation for that as of today, says Farberg.
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