Notable rise in aggravated narcotics offences and regulation offences – Customs uncovered more than 6 000 customs offences last year

Finnish Customs uncovered 6 245 customs offences last year. The number of suspected aggravated narcotics offences and regulation offences rose significantly from the previous year. There was a particular rise in the number of criminal investigations initiated due to regulations offences, that is, violations of the EU’s sanctions against Russia, as well as in the seizures of marijuana, ecstasy and ketamine, a medicine used as a recreational drug. In addition, Customs came across 10 completely new designer drugs. Last year, the societal impact of customs crime prevention was almost 88 million euros, of which more than 37 million euros was recovered proceeds of crime.

“Last year’s phenomena were the continued rise in suspected regulation offences due to efforts to circumvent the sanctions against Russia, the slump in illegal import of snus after the deregulation of the sale of nicotine pouches, and the rise in cigarette smuggling,” says Hannu Sinkkonen, Director of Enforcement, summing up the nature of customs offences last year, adding:

“The number of seizures of narcotic medicines is still at a high level, despite a slight drop in the seized quantities. Notable is also the huge increase in the seizures of ketamine, classified as a medicine, as well as the increase in the smuggling of pregabalin. Ketamine is abused as a narcotic substance. On a general level, it is notable that, of the suspected customs offences we uncovered last year, a higher proportion than before met the elements of an aggravated offence. For example, aggravated narcotics offences rose by almost a hundred cases compared to the previous year.

“We found 10 completely new narcotic substances, and altogether, Customs identified more than 130 different narcotic substances that were entering Finland. Of these substances, 12 are not classified in Finland. Our Customs Laboratory is indeed one of the forerunners in Europe in identifying designer drugs. The online trade in narcotics and medicines has picked up again, even though our investigation unit, once again, has been able to close down some online market places,” says Sinkkonen.

Overall, the year in Finnish Customs’ crime prevention has been marked by international cooperation between authorities.

Almost 60 cases of suspected aggravated circumvention of the sanctions against Russia –- record seizures of marijuana

Violations of the sanctions placed by the EU on Russia can be clearly seen in last year’s statistics on customs offences. Customs started 492 new investigations of regulation offences, 58 of which have been investigated as suspected aggravated regulation offences. Customs is responsible for the criminal investigation of circumventions of sanctions on goods in Finland.

The number of uncovered narcotics offences went up from the previous year. All in all, Customs registered 1 556 narcotics offences, 390 of which were aggravated offences. Seizures of marijuana amounted to 465 kilograms, while over 90 000 tablets of ecstasy were seized – there was a considerable rise in seizures of both of these narcotics. Doping offences and seizures of narcotic mushrooms were also on the rise.

Last year, Customs investigated 633 cases of tax fraud, 107 of which were investigated as aggravated tax fraud. The aggravated tax fraud cases included illegal import of cigarettes, alcohol, snus and nicotine liquids, as well as cases involving VAT.

The societal impact of customs crime prevention was close to 88 million euros last year.

See the full customs crime prevention statistics for 2023 (in Finnish). In these statistics, you can also check the trends for different customs offences and the quantities of seized narcotics over the last five years.