Sweden: Extreme smuggling pressure, more hard drugs seized

Photo from the press briefing on 5 February at the Öresund Bridge, where Swedish Customs’ senior management presented the seizure statistics for 2025. In the foreground, part of the large quantity of hard drugs seized by Swedish Customs during the year. From left to right: Lina Andersson, Acting Head of the Swedish Customs Criminal Investigations Department, Johan Norrman, Director General of Customs, and Jennie von Alten, Head of the Control Department.

05.02.2026 - The pressure from smuggling at Sweden’s borders is currently very high. Last year, Swedish Customs seized more than 10.5 tonnes of drugs. This is 700 kilograms more than in 2024, and it is primarily seizures of hard drugs that are increasing. This is shown in Swedish Customs’ new seizure statistics, which are also available at local and regional level.

“Sweden is currently facing extreme smuggling pressure. Drug consignments are larger and the smuggling methods used by criminal gangs are becoming increasingly sophisticated. We have received new legislation and have sharpened our work. Every krona invested in Swedish Customs pays back many times over for society,” says Director General of Customs Johan Norrman.

New seizure levels

In recent years, Swedish Customs’ drug seizures have increased sharply. In total, 10.5 tonnes of drugs were seized last year, compared with 9.8 tonnes in 2024. In addition, there are drugs measured in litres and in individual units. When seizures of the hard drugs cocaine, heroin and amphetamine are added together, the total amount increased from 2,355 kilograms in 2024 to 2,737 kilograms last year.

“Drugs fill the pockets of criminal gangs and are a root cause of the spiral of violence in recent years. Our mission is preventive by nature. The more drugs we stop, the less needs to be dealt with later by the police and social authorities. We need to continue developing our technical capabilities in order to keep pace with an increasingly sophisticated adversary,” says Johan Norrman.

Sharp increase in heroin

Heroin seizures increased dramatically in 2025. In total, 134 kilograms of heroin were seized, more than in any previous year. The amount of seized cocaine also remains at historically high levels, even though it decreased slightly compared with 2024. One explanation for the large volume in 2024 was a single very large seizure of 1.3 tonnes. The development for some of the most common substances between 2024 and 2025 is as follows:

• Heroin increased from 3 kilograms to 134 kilograms

• Amphetamine increased from 768 kilograms to 1,110 kilograms

• Cocaine decreased from 1,584 kilograms to 1,493 kilograms

• Cannabis decreased from 5,737 kilograms to 5,032 kilograms

Many large drug seizures

In total, Swedish Customs carried out 40 individual seizures of more than 50 kilograms of drugs. Eighteen of these seizures were over 100 kilograms. In recent years, the number of large individual seizures has increased. One trend is that criminal groups are exploiting legitimate transport companies in complex criminal setups to smuggle large quantities of drugs.

“Unfortunately, this development appears to be continuing. Already at the beginning of 2026, we seized more than three tonnes of cocaine in a single operation in Helsingborg. We face major challenges, but at the same time we are receiving increasing powers and assignments,” says Johan Norrman.

Explosives and weapons

Swedish Customs is carrying out a number of measures to strengthen efforts to stop firearms and explosive materials. Last year, Swedish Customs seized just over 44,000 explosive items, many of them so called bangers. This is almost a doubling compared with 2024. However, no hand grenades were seized, and fewer live firearms were confiscated, a decrease from 53 firearms in 2024 to 20 last year.

Alcohol and cigarettes

Seizures of alcohol decreased slightly, from 54,000 litres in 2024 to 52,000 litres last year. Seizures of cigarettes also decreased, from 8 million in 2024 to 4.2 million last year.

More about the statistics

Statistics at national, regional and local level are available in Swedish Customs’ statistical service at tullverket.se.