2.3 tonnes of cocaine were seized in Norway in 2023. That was more than the previous 20 years combined. Much is due to the large “banana seizures” at Bama”. news has followed the bloody smuggling route for the cocaine from South America, via the Netherlands, to Norway. One of the places where the cocaine comes to Norway is at the harbor in Oslo. news is involved when a container of food is to be scanned. Inside the “scanner car”, a customs officer follows along on the screen. If he stumbles upon something, the container must be opened. The container being checked on this sunny Friday is clean. 350,000 containers pass through the Port of Oslo in the course of a year. Customs will not say how many are scanned, but it is a small number. The scanner is also shared with Moss, Fredrikstad and Drammen. Director of Customs Øystein Børmer at the Port of Oslo. Photo: Svein Vestrum Olsson / news There are four such scanners throughout Norway. The Customs Service received more money for people and equipment in the revised national budget. But Norway has around 600 ports that can receive international goods. – We have the world’s second longest coastline. It gives the smugglers many opportunities, so it is a challenge, says director of customs Øystein Børmer to news. General: – Not strict enough The documentary “Prisen for stripa” shows how Norwegian youth finance drug cartels and how brutal means are used to get the cocaine the long way to living room tables and bathrooms in Oslo. In Peru, news met a general who claims Norway could have been stricter. CRITICIZES: General Carlos Romero Wetzell in Peru believes that the Norwegian border control is not strict enough. Photo: Javier Ernesto Auris Chavez / news – The drug cartels smuggle large quantities of drugs into Norway because they know that the Norwegian authorities are not strict enough on border controls, both at sea, in the air and by land, says General Carlos Romero Wetzell. Børmer is unsure what the general knows about the Norwegian border control, but says the fact that he has this impression is bad enough. A recent article in The Guardian describes how Norway is affected by a cocaine tsunami towards Europe. While the EU has tightened up, the fear is that countries outside the Union are being exploited. General Carlos Romero Wetzell (second from left) during a press conference after a drug seizure in Peru. Photo: Javier Ernesto Auris Chavez / news – That is part of our concerns as well. We know that when controls are tightened on the continent, Norway becomes more attractive as an import country for drugs, says Børmer. – What do you do with it? – Within the framework we have, we prioritize this to an increased extent. We have grants from the politicians for more scanners. But we are aware of that threat, and are working to find out how we can best deal with it, he replies. Kripos acknowledges that large quantities of cocaine are smuggled into Norway, and that more and more comes by sea. Other gateways to Europe – It is probably a result of several things. Among other things, that there have been stricter port controls in Europe. One can imagine that they are trying to find other ports of entry to Europe, such as through our ports, says Kjetil Tunold, acting assistant head of the investigative department at Kripos. Kjetil Tunold, Kjetil Tunold, acting assistant head of the investigative department in Kripos. Photo: Sverre Holm-Nilsen – What is your comment on what this policeman says? – It is a bit difficult to comment specifically. But he is right that Norway has a long coastline, so there are great opportunities to enter that way. But we also have a long border with Sweden, which is not controlled beyond what the customs do. Mainly along the larger border stations. But it is not unlike other parts of Europe. So whether Norway stands out in any way from other European countries with coastlines is a bit uncertain, he replies. The giant seizure at Bama last year made 2023 a special year in terms of the total number of kilograms seized. – We do not have such large seizure figures in 2024, but there is nothing to indicate that there is any less consumption of cocaine. Implicitly, large quantities of cocaine are still coming to Norway, says Tunold. Must prioritize correctly The Kripos leader says they focus on the best-known networks. The investigation is aimed at catching those who do big business. If a large trailer arrives from Sweden, they do everything they can to take the receiver and not just the courier. Director of Customs Øystein Børmer. Photo: Svein Vestrum Olsson / news – We probably have a relatively good overview of the networks and actors. But I probably have a little more limited knowledge of what the networks are doing at any given time, says Tunold. – Are you well equipped to deal with the smuggling that is apparently increasing? – We believe we are doing a good job with the resources we have. Then of course we would be able to do an even better job with more resources. But it ultimately becomes a political question – what level of ambition one has in the fight against smuggling, says Tunold. State Secretary Erlend Grimstad in the Ministry of Finance says the government is strengthening cooperation between customs, border authorities and local police in the border areas. – In the revised national budget, the government allocated NOK 118 million to strengthen border control to combat drug smuggling. The strengthening will continue in the 2025 budget, and will then pass NOK 200 million. The strengthening contributes both to more customs employees and the purchase of necessary equipment for control activities, says Grimstad to news. Published 07.09.2024, at 18.50 Updated 07.09.2024, at 19.03
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Fears more smugglers are looking towards Norway – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
