Oslo’s mayor has raised alarms about drug smugglers increasingly using the Norwegian capital as a gateway to Europe, as heightened security measures in major ports like Antwerp push traffickers to find alternative routes.
Anne Lindboe, the mayor of Oslo, highlighted that drugs valued at up to £570m have been trafficked through Norway’s largest port, which handles between 50 and 70 ships and 243,000 containers weekly.
“It appears that the port of Oslo is becoming a preferred entry point in Europe for criminal, hardened gangs,” Lindboe told the broadcaster NRK, noting that the port’s security measures were “slightly too poorly guarded.”
This month, customs officials in Antwerp, a key hub for drug smuggling in Europe, reported a 50% decrease in cocaine seizures. The decline is attributed to criminal gangs rerouting their shipments to avoid intensified policing.
Concerns in Oslo revolve around insufficient security measures. The Norwegian customs union has only one mobile scanner for Oslo, which is also shared with two other ports. In its absence, customs officers must resort to using handheld scanners, which are considered less effective.
Union leader Karin Tanderø Schaug described the situation regarding cocaine and organized crime as “critical,” calling for increased resources for Norwegian customs.
She emphasized the importance of stringent border controls, stating, “This fight [across Europe] is so important. We cannot afford to underestimate the importance of control at the borders.”
Norway ranks third in Europe for cocaine consumption among young adults. Last year, Norwegian customs authorities reported 1,847 drug seizures, surpassing the totals of the previous decade combined, including record quantities of cocaine.
The surge in cocaine in Oslo is “alarming and increasing,” warned Tanderø Schaug, urging immediate government intervention. She noted that as Antwerp strengthens its controls, traffickers might redirect their routes through Norway, potentially making it a transit country along with Sweden.
In response, the Norwegian government has proposed increased funding for the customs service to bolster its anti-drug trafficking efforts. Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum acknowledged the threat posed by drug trafficking and organized crime, stating
“To stop the gangs, we must confiscate their money and stop the flow of drugs into Norway.
We are aware that Oslo is one of the ports used for importing illegal drugs, which is why there is a scanner available at both ports in Oslo, as needed, based on the customs agency’s threat assessments.”
