Finnish Customs combats organised crime by strengthening port safety – cooperation, changes to legislation and international efforts protect the sea transport hubs

Finnish Customs is strengthening its efforts to combat organised crime by improving the security of Finland’s ports. Around 95 percent of Finland’s international trade takes place by sea, which means that well-functioning sea transports and ports are vital for the national security of supply and for the economy.

In the Government’s strategy for 2025–2023, published in April, Finnish Customs was given a key role in improving port security. Customs is the only national security authority which has a presence at all of Finland’s border crossing points and supervises all cross-border traffic flows.

“Ports are an important part of Customs’ operating environment, and therefore, improving their security is a natural and extremely important task for us,” says Samy Gardemeister, director of the Enforcement Department of Finnish Customs.

Organised crime threatens the safety of sea transports

Criminal networks aim to use the structures of legal shipping and to infiltrate logistics and forwarding companies. In recent years, the majority of the narcotics smuggled to Finland have been brought in via the ports. The modus operandi of criminals also include threats, violence and corruption that compromise the safety of both authorities and private sector employees.

Customs’ emphasis is that port security also encompasses the personal safety of the people operating there.

Closer cooperation with the private sector

Custom will expand its cooperation with port operators and operators in the forwarding and logistics sector in the form of so-called Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The aim is to improve information sharing and practical cooperation in port security.

“We’ve had good cooperation with private operators in the past, too. We’re now aiming for even closer cooperation, and we also want to engage the operators to a greater extent than before. It’s very important that the information sharing works and that irregularities are reported with a low threshold,” says Gardemeister.

Improving legislation to combat crime

Together with the key ministries, Customs is preparing changes to legislation that allow for a more effective crime prevention. These include:

• Obtaining reliable and timely advance information about incoming goods flows
• Security clearance vetting for certain groups of port employees
• Strengthening administrative prevention

The aim is risk-based controls and making the operating conditions unfavourable for organised crime.

International cooperation and strategic policy

Customs participates actively in the European Ports Alliance that aims to prevent criminals from infiltrating legal business structures. The work of the Ports Alliance will expand to include also smaller ports, inland ports and river ports. The Alliance is part of the Roadmap to Fight Drug Trafficking and Organised Crime, published by the European Commission in 2023.

The importance of the ports is also recognised in Finland’s PCB strategy (Police–Customs–Border Guard). The strategy’s focus area for Customs in 2024 is the criminal activities and influencing conducted through the ports.

“It’s difficult for authorities to respond alone to complex threats that change quickly. Finland’s strength has been the close and organised cooperation of the authorities. Through our PCB activities we maintain a shared picture and ensure that the right and timely measures are taken to guarantee security,” Gardemeister stresses. 

Balance between security and competitiveness

Customs promises to take the whole sea transport chain and its operators into account in all its development work.

“We put security above all else – without compromising on competitiveness,” Gardemeister sums up.