Customs officers will defend themelves with pepper spray

Customs officersSVINESUND. Customs officers.Photo : Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix

Svinesund is the first custom office which has been equipped with pepper spray.

– This is a tool that sorts under the weapons legislation in Norway. It is very much a self-defense tool that we hope we will never be in a position to use it, said department manager Asle Farberg in Eastern Region Customs of Norway to NRK news.

Customs has for several years asked for using the pepper spray. The reason for this is violence and threats against customs officials in border control.

The use of pepper spray (OC spray) is a pilot program for officials of Customs regions Northern Norway, Central Norway, Eastern Norway, Oslo and Akershus. The project, which will test whether pepper spray gives customs officials increased security, takes two years.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today