Sweden: Customs Have Difficulty Taking Action Against Organised ‘Alcohol Import’
Swedish customs are trying to find a way to fight the alcohol imports over Oresund, the body of water that separates Sweden and Denmark. As it is allowed to bring alcohol from another EU country for private use, the customs officials have only limited ability to act. According to Aftonbladet, a Swedish daily newspaper, the most recent example was eight Swedes that brought 16,000 litres of beer and 2,000 litres of wine into Denmark from Germany. The rough amounts are known as the persons were stopped at the Danish border, but they were allowed to continue as the Danish regulations allow it. (Until 1 July this year, a person is only allowed to bring 15 litres of beer and 5 litres of wine when entering Sweden from another EU country, due to the Swedish exceptions to the EU regulations). The customs reportedly know that the same persons have travelled the same route before. In Denmark, it is apparently divided into smaller lots for transport to Sweden. According to the customs, there is organised travel between Denmark and Sweden to bring in alcohol that is later sold in Sweden (which is illegal). Wine, beer and spirits are bought in Germany and transported to Helsingor in Denmark, where it is transported in legal quantities over to Sweden by helpers who get the trip free and maybe a bit of money. It has been reported to the customs that the people responsible for this trade have a storage facility in Helsingor and the customs have said that they have observed the receivers in Sweden. The customs are currently looking into the possibilities of formally taking action against the traders, who are apparently known to them.
May 24, 2000