A shiny car rolls into the customs gates. The driver is known in criminal circles and has high debts, including to victims of crime. The customs officers' inspection does not show that any crime has been committed or any possibility of seizing property from suspected criminal activity. However, they see that the person has debts and that there is property that can cover them.
Currently, in such cases, Swedish Customs must call the police in order for a seizure to be carried out. The police have so far been the only authority allowed to assist the Enforcement Service when a seizure is to be carried out remotely.
We have had to release the car when the Enforcement Service or the police were unable to come, says Gürsu Öncü, national coordinator for criminal economics at Swedish Customs.
New control
This will change on July 1, when Swedish Customs, the Swedish Economic Crime Authority and the Swedish Coast Guard will be able to act as assistants in remote inspections. Swedish Customs will therefore add another item to its list of checks in or out of Sweden.
The change means that Swedish Customs, without the presence of the Enforcement Officer, can take seized property into custody if the property is found in the authority's operations. In addition, customs officers must notify the Enforcement Officer when they find property that they believe may be seized. It is then the Enforcement Officer who makes the decision on the actual seizure.
Redress for crime victims
It's easy to think that Customs should start hunting down people in debt, but that's not our mission. Primarily, we stop a car for smuggling, says Gürsu Öncü.
Swedish Customs will be guided by the police's previous work. Gürsu Öncü says that remote seizure is one of several ways to tackle organized crime in Sweden. But it is also about ensuring that victims of crime receive redress.
We want to work to ensure that victims of crime who have been awarded compensation receive their money, says Gürsu Öncü.
On July 1, several legal changes will come into force, including new rules on remote foreclosure.
Swedish Customs is one of the law enforcement authorities that will be allowed to assist the Swedish Enforcement Authority in remote seizure.
The goal is to help the Swedish Enforcement Authority secure assets effectively, so that more people pay their debts to, among other things, crime victims.
The powers of Swedish Customs are being expanded and a check will have the following order:
1. The car is taken out for inspection for contraband. If no restricted goods are found, such as drugs or weapons, the inspection continues.
2. Customs checks whether there is reason to file a report for “independent confiscation.” This concerns property acquired with funds suspected of coming from criminal activity.
3. If independent confiscation is not an option, it is investigated whether the person has debts to the state. If the person has debts, Swedish Customs will contact the Enforcement Service in order to be able to levy the debt remotely.
Source: Swedish Customs
