Extended powers for Swedish Customs

Swedish Customs and customs officials are to be given extended powers. The Riksdag voted in favour of the Government’s proposal which means, among other things, that customs officials will be authorised to:

• use violence in a greater number of situations
• stop vehicles to a greater extent
• open items of mail to a greater extent
• close off areas around internal borders
• assist prosecutors and other law enforcement agencies in a greater number of cases.

One of the reasons for the Government’s proposal is that the current legislation on the powers of Swedish Customs and customs officials is in part difficult to interpret, and is not always uniform.

The proposed legislative amendments involve the collection of the Swedish Customs’ and customs officials’ powers in a single new act, the Customs Powers Act, which will come into force on 7 November 2024.