Drug sales are the most important source of income for many criminal networks and there is a widespread market, according to Stewe Alm, strategic analyst at the National Operations Department (NOA).
– It is the large demand that the criminals have exploited, he says.
Border points are left unattended
A large part of the narcotics is smuggled into southern Sweden, not least via the Öresund Bridge which borders Denmark. Around 30,000 vehicles pass there every 24 hours, according to Oscar Lindvall, deputy head of inspection at the Swedish Customs Administration.
But with just over 200 customs officers, staffing becomes a difficult task and border points such as ports, roads and train stations may have to be left unattended – for hours.
– We only check a few percent of the incoming traffic. If we also receive an intelligence task we need to act on, we may have to move personnel. We are simply not enough, he says.
But if you only control a few per thousand of the traffic, would you really have access to so much more of the drug importation?
– It is my firm belief that we could have made a lot more seizures of narcotics and firearms if there were more of us.
“The drugs we will never get rid of”
An indication that quantities of narcotics are smuggled in are the police’s seizure figures. So far this year, the police have seized over three tons of narcotics, including more than 870 kilograms of cannabis, 90 kilograms of cocaine and 360 kilograms of amphetamine within the country.
– The seizures are important to prevent drugs from leading to abuse. But when it comes to the finances of the criminal gangs, it becomes a needle prick, says Stewe Alm.
Are you doing enough then?
– We will never get rid of drugs, but we do a lot with the resources we have. But crime is very dynamic and technological development constantly means new ways and opportunities for criminals.
SVT has followed customs employees at the Öresund Bridge during a working day. See how the work is done in the clip above.