Police reveal major criminal network based on the seizure of 183,000 Rivotril pills at Svinesund

In 2019, customs officers seized 183,000 Rivotril tablets at Svinesund. Now the police believe that they have busted a criminal drug network.

In a press release, the Eastern Police District that the network was busted after a German-registered car with two Ukrainians was stopped by customs officers at Svinesund in October 2019. Around 183,000 Rivotril tablets were found in the car.

Rivotril contains the narcotic active ingredient clonazepam and is considered a drug in Norway if a doctor has not prescribed it.

Last autumn, the two men were sentenced to five years and four months in prison and six years in prison in Halden District Court.

Arrested couple

In February last year, the police arrested a married couple from Oslo who they suspect was the designated recipients of the cargo and several other imports of Rivotril. 

They have now been charged, and the case against them will take place in Halden District Court this summer.

Police now believe they have uncovered a criminal network that has been operating for several years. In September last year, another 150,000 Rivotril tablets were seized when customs officers stopped a trailer on its way to Norway.

The investigation in Norway pointed to Hungary, and the police in the two countries have cooperated on the case. The potential network includes everything from production and several principals in Hungary to carriers from Hungary to Norway, depots, and sellers at the street level in Norway.

During an operation in Hungary last week, police found over 9.3 million tablets and large amounts of the active ingredient clonazepam and ingredients for the illegal production of Rivotril.

High value

“If the Rivotril is sold in full glass bottles with 100 tablets, the value of the seizure is up to NOK 70-80 million. 

“Experience indicates that the price per tablet at street level is NOK 20, and it is therefore assumed that the seizure in Hungary has a value of about NOK 186 million if sold in Norway,” Karlsen Aas noted.

She emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing, and the police do not rule out more arrests.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at [email protected]