Drugs, hormonal preparations (doping agents) and other dangerous goods
Swedish Customs is responsible for combating the smuggling of drugs that are prohibited from entering Sweden, and for controlling drugs that are subject to import conditions, known as restricted goods. Narcotics, hormonal preparations (doping agents), other goods dangerous to health, and medications are examples of goods that may not be freely imported into Sweden
Preparations that are classified as narcotics, medication or hormonal preparations in Sweden, but not in another country (whether or not it is an EU country), are subject to Swedish law when the preparation is brought into or handled in Sweden.
Drugs
Any use of narcotics, other than for scientific or medical purposes, is prohibited in Sweden. In addition to bringing drugs into Sweden, it is therefore prohibited to possess drugs (including for personal use), to bring drugs into or out of Sweden, to manufacture or cultivate drugs, to sell, give away or lend drugs, or to drive a vehicle while under the influence of drugs.
Drugs are defined as "medicinal or health products having addictive properties or euphoric effects or products which can easily be converted into products having such properties or effects".
- The Narcotics Control Act (1992:860) (in swedish)
- Narcotics Penalties Act (1968:64) (in swedish)
- Narcotics Control Ordinance (1992:1554) (in swedish)
- Act (2000:1225) on penalties for smuggling (in swedish)
Hazardous products
Goods which, by reason of their intrinsic properties, endanger human life or health and which are used or are likely to be used for the purpose of obtaining intoxication or other influence.
- Information on the penalties for smuggling goods dangerous to health can be found in the Act (1999:42) on the prohibition of certain goods dangerous to health (in swedish) and in the Swedish Smuggling Act.
Drugs
Hormonal preparations and other drugs used with the intention of increasing muscle strength and volume. Doping agents include anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), testosterone, growth hormone and other chemical substances that increase the production or release of testosterone and growth hormone.
- Information on penalties for smuggling doping substances can be found in the Act (1991:1969) on the prohibition of certain doping substances (in swedish) and in the Swedish Smuggling Act.
Medication
A medicinal product is any substance whose use is purported to treat or prevent disease, and any substance that can be used to treat disease in humans or animals. It is not only the properties of a medicine that make it a medicine, but also the intention of the seller of the product.
- Information on penalties for smuggling medicines can be found in the Act (2000:1225) on penalties for smuggling (in swedish).
Substances of abuse
On 1 April 2011, a new law came into force that allows Swedish Customs to seize and destroy substances of abuse that are not yet classified as narcotic drugs or dangerous goods. This law allows customs officers and police officers to seize substances containing substances that have not yet been classified as drugs or health hazards, but which are likely to be so classified.
Powers of Swedish Customs
- Swedish Customs are empowered to carry out controls on goods from a country outside the EU as set out in the Swedish Customs Act (2016:253). (in swedish)
- The power of Swedish Customs to control goods from another EU country are set out in the Act (1996:701) on Swedish Customs powers at Sweden’s border with another country in the European Union (in swedish), also known as the Internal Borders Act.
Roles of other authorities
Classification of new substances
The Public Health Agency and the Medical Products Agency are the authorities responsible for the classification of drugs and goods dangerous to health in Sweden. New chemical substances are being developed all the time and although they are largely identical to existing substances, classifying them is a major task.
How to get it right?
Report
Difficulties in obtaining accurate statistics for “Spice”
Swedish Customs has great difficulty in obtaining accurate statistics on the amount of synthetic cannabinoids seized or confiscated.
“Spice” is a collective name for all smoked mixtures containing some form of synthetic cannabinoids. Some synthetic cannabinoids are classified as narcotics or as a health hazard, others are currently unclassified. When Swedish Customs find synthetic cannabinoids that are classified as narcotic drugs or health hazards, they are recorded in our computer system as seizures of “other drugs” together with preparations other than synthetic cannabinoids.
The synthetic cannabinoids we find that are not yet classified are disposed of in accordance with the Act (2011:111) on the destruction of certain substances of abuse that are hazardous to health (the Destruction Act) LINK, if they are on the Public Health Agency’s list of substances under investigation.
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