Large increase in drug seizures in Blekinge

Last year, the Customs made a record number of drug seizures in the country, according to the authority's seizure statistics for 2019. Most of the other drugs and drugs have increased, and so does Blekinge.

Last year, six seizures of drug-classed drugs were made in Blekinge, where 43,730 tablets were found, compared with 2018 when three seizures were made and 104 tablets were seized.

- It is a huge percentage increase, but you are increasing from a fairly low level. If it had increased as much from 43,000 tablets, we might have had more eyebrows, says Oscar Lindvall, head of section Customs at Region Syd.

Drug-classed drugs can be, for example, benzodiazepines.

- The fact that tablets are nowadays popular to consume in addictive circles I sign on, says Oscar Lindvall.

However, Blekinge differs from Skåne in terms of seizures of tramadol, which is reported separately and not included in the item narcotic drugs. Overall, in southern Sweden, the tariff seizures of tramadol tablets increased by almost 900 percent - but in Blekinge only one seizure of ten tablets was made.

- I cannot answer why it is so differentiated in Karlshamn and Karlskrona but that these are tablets that are now popular to consume in addictive circles, I sign, says Oscar Lindvall.

Blekinge, on the other hand, stands out when it comes to seizing illegal cigarettes in southern Sweden, where last year nearly 1.5 million cigarettes were seized in Karlshamn and Karlskronas ports.

- I think it testifies to the fact that there is very large cigarette traffic in the ports in Blekinge. It's quite a lot of cigarettes actually, he says.