Illegal substances in one of four controlled mail items

Customs in Oslo.Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB scanpix

In a control coordinated among legal authorities in 123 countries, Norwegian customs officers found illegal drugs in 286 of 1,286 postal items.

 

The check of posted mail was part of the international operation, Pangea X, and was conducted between the 12th and 19th of September.

In Norway, the operation was conducted with close cooperation between the customs, the Swedish Medicines
Agency, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and Kripos.

Customs control in Norway was carried out at Alnabru, Eastland Terminal and Gardermoen Airport, was mainly concerned with the illegal import of medicines, and the import and sale of cosmetics containing harmful or prohibited substances.

Antidepressants, hormones, tranquilisers and antibiotics were discovered. Most seizures were made in consignments from India (80), the United Kingdom (53), and the United States (27) reported the Customs Service.

‘We seized daily consignments of prohibited drugs, and we found that Norwegians order drugs, narcotics, and prohibited medicines via the internet. We also found approximately 20 consignments of antibiotics,’ said senior counsellor, Anders Flekke of the Customs Information Center.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet), and the Danish Medicines Agency conducted surveillance at a skin care salon, a skin care clinic employing healthcare professionals, and at an importer/distributor of cosmetics.

No drugs were found in the products at the salon and clinic, but at the importer/distributors they found two face care products containing trichloroacetic acid.

Trichloroacetic acid is a substance that isn’t allowed in cosmetic products in Norway because it can cause serious skin damage, and the products received a sales ban.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today