VZCZCXRO3529
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHSM #0705/01 3131446
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091446Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4889
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STOCKHOLM 000705 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL KSEP SW
SUBJECT:  SWEDEN: 2009-2010 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY 
REPORT (INSCR), PART I 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000705  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶I. Summary 
---------- 
 
¶1. Sweden is not a significant illicit drug producing country. 
However, police report that Sweden is increasingly becoming a transit 
country for illegal drugs to other Nordic countries and Eastern 
European states.  The fight against illegal drugs is an important 
government priority and enjoys strong public support.  There are an 
estimated 26,000 serious drug (viz., heroin, cocaine) users in Sweden, 
and the overall quantities of narcotics seized in 2009 did not change 
significantly from 2008.  Amphetamine and cannabis remain the most 
popular illegal drugs and during the year, the influx of 
methamphetamine increased.  Total heroin usage did not change from 
2008, although the abuse of anabolic steroids continued to rise.  The 
quantity of narcotics ordered over the internet increased in 2009.  The 
number of high school aged boys and girls who claim to have tried drugs 
increased two percentage points, cannabis being the most common drug. 
To combat these trends, law enforcement and customs entities have been 
active in several domestic and international counter-narcotic projects 
in the last year. 
 
¶2. The majority of narcotics in Sweden originates in South America, 
West Africa, Eastern Europe, China, and Afghanistan and is smuggled via 
other EU countries.  Khat usage remains restricted to specific 
immigrant communities.  Limited residential cultivation of cannabis 
occurs, along with a limited number of small kitchen labs producing 
methamphetamine and anabolic steroids.  Sweden is not believed to have 
any industrial narcotics laboratories.  Sweden is a party to the 1988 
UN Drug Convention. 
 
II. Status of Country 
--------------------- 
 
¶3. Relative to other European countries, Sweden (both government and 
society) is highly intolerant of illegal drugs.  Sweden places strong 
focus on prevention and education.  According to government statistics, 
12 percent of the adult population (15-75 years old) has tried drugs at 
some point during their lives.  According to the latest available 
figure, Sweden continues to have approximately 26,000 serious drug 
addicts (i.e. regular intravenous use and/or daily need for narcotics). 
 Some 25 percent of serious drug users are women (in both 2008 and 
2009).  The most common drugs addicts use are amphetamines, heroine and 
cannabis. 
 
¶4. The National Institute of Public Health notes an increase in 
drug-related deaths in 2009 from an average of 300 per year to 
approximately 350 in 2009.  According to police reports, Sweden is both 
a destination and transit country for amphetamines.  The seizure of 
Methamphetamine has increased significantly in 2009 due to new methods 
of productions.  According to the Swedish Customs a new trend is that 
the drug is trafficked to Sweden from so called "BMK labs" in 
Lithuania. 
 
¶5. The government-sponsored Organization for Information on Drugs and 
Alcohol (CAN) reports that the overall number of young people who have 
used drugs increased compared to that of 2008.  The percentage of high 
school aged boys (15-16 years old) who claim to have been offered drugs 
increased to 21 percent in 2009, compared to 19 percent in 2008. 
Corresponding statistics for girls remained at 19 percent in 2009. 
High school aged boys who claim to have tried drugs increased two 
percentage points to nine percent for high school aged girls increased 
from five to seven percent.  Approximately 80 percent of those who try 
drugs for the first time do so with cannabis.  Amphetamines and Ecstasy 
resembling drugs are the second and third most commonly used drugs. 
 
¶6. There are regional differences in drug use.  The use of narcotics is 
predominately concentrated in urban areas, and the southern parts of 
the country, but is growing in rural areas.  The police have observed a 
countrywide increase in the use of cocaine.  Previously considered a 
QluxuryQ drug and mainly used in fashionable bars and restaurants, 
cocaine has become more common due to a significant drop in price.  In 
2000, one gram of cocaine cost the equivalent of $200, today the price 
is as low as $55-120 in Stockholm and $110-140 in southern Sweden. 
Cocaine is mainly smuggled to Sweden through the major European ports, 
such as Rotterdam, and then by land or air.  South American smugglers 
and dealers have long dominated the drug trade, however competition 
from other criminal groups, such as Serbians and Russians, have lead to 
a price decrease. 
 
¶7. Cannabis is one of the most commonly used narcotics in Sweden.  Some 
80 percent of the cannabis in Sweden comes from Morocco, the remainder 
from the Middle East and Central Asia.  Cannabis is becoming more 
common in Sweden; the plant has been refined and can now be cultivated 
in cooler climates.  Cannabis users can be found all over Sweden in all 
socio-economic groups. 
 
¶8. The use of khat is exclusive to immigrant communities such as 
Somalis and Ethiopians, who are continuing a practice of their birth 
countries.  Khat is often smuggled into the country concealed in fruit 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000705  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
and vegetable packages.  In 2008, the police and customs hired more 
personnel with in-depth knowledge of khat to combat the influx.  The 
project has resulted in increased seizures of khat and the project will 
continue during 2009.  The Swedish Customs and the Police are also 
working to a change the narcotics law to reduce the possession amount 
of khat that is legally punishable.  Today possession of khat must 
reach 200 kilo to be considered a serious violation. 
 
¶9. Last year's trend of an increase in the ordering of illicit drugs 
over the internet continued.  Mephedrone, GBL, Methylon and Salvia are 
the drugs most commonly smuggled via parcels ordered over the Internet. 
 Other Internet-ordered drugs confiscated by the Customs also include 
heroin, steroids and illegal pharmaceuticals such as Tramadol.  Ecstasy 
use has decreased significantly during 2009 to the advantage of drugs 
with similar characteristics.  Most packages originate from the EU, 
usually smuggled in from China.  Combating the Internet narcotics trade 
is a priority and Swedish law enforcement is coordinating closely with 
Interpol and Europol to develop methods to prevent teenagers from 
purchasing drugs online. 
 
¶10. The occurrence of doping continues to increase.  According to a new 
study from the National Police Board the number of people using 
steroids on a regular basis is 10,000 - 12,000 people.  The University 
Hospital Karolinska in Stockholm estimates the number of users is 
around 50,000.  The seizure of steroids -- both in powder form and 
pills -- increased during 2009.  The drugs are smuggled to Sweden as 
powder and are formed to pills in small drug pharmacies in the country. 
 
III. Country Actions against Drugs in 2009 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶11. Policy Initiatives and Accomplishments: The government's National 
Action Plan on Narcotics runs through 2010.  Demand reduction and 
supply restriction figure prominently, and the plan includes provisions 
to increase treatment for prison inmates with drug addictions.  Four 
ministries share the primary responsibility for drug policy: the 
Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the 
Ministry of Finance and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.  Together, 
officials from these ministries form an independent working group 
called The GovernmentQs Coordination Body in Drug Related Issues 
(SAMNARK), which coordinates the implementation of the Action Plan.  A 
governmental investigative commission established to review current 
narcotics legislation presented its recommendations on December 31, 
¶2008.  The commission suggested Swedish authorities monitor the supply 
of drugs on the internet, and to give the authorities the right to 
purchase unclassified substances for analysis to speed up the 
classification process of new drugs.  The commission also suggested 
harsher penalties for doping crimes. 
 
¶12. Sweden participates in a three-year, Denmark-led project targeting 
West African cocaine and heroin networks.  Continued cooperation with 
Baltic countries, where significant drug trafficking routes exist, 
constitutes an ongoing and important element in SwedenQs 
counternarcotics efforts.  Sweden participates in the EU Council of 
Ministers working group for overall narcotic drugs issues, the 
Horizontal Working Party on Drugs (HDG).  HDG deals primarily with 
domestic issues, legal problems and positions as well as the situation 
in countries outside the EU.  Sweden also participates in the Western 
Balkans and drug combating projects spearheaded by COSPOL, a 
counternarcotics EU task force led by national police commissioners. 
 
¶13. In September the government classified seven substances similar to 
cannabis as narcotics, among them the popular internet drug "Spice." 
In May, Mephedrone was classified as a narcotic.  Fighting drugs also 
remain a high priority area for SwedenQs official development 
assistance.  In 2008 Sweden allocated over $12.6 million for the UN 
Office of Drugs and CrimeQs general and special-purpose programs. 
 
¶14. The Swedish EU Presidency, July - December 2009, has meant 
increased opportunities to cooperate with countries to combat 
narcotics.  In the negotiations on the EU Framework Decision on Drugs, 
which was signed in 2004, Sweden was proactive and contributed to a 
provision to the effect that a deeper evaluation should be made.  The 
import of this was that the European Commission will not only look at 
how Member States have implemented the framework decision, but also how 
the provisions are applied.  The Commission presented its evaluation 
report in May 2009.  The work of the Council on analyzing the report 
took place on November 2-3, 2009 when the drug coordinators of the 
Member States met in Stockholm. 
 
¶15. Law Enforcement Efforts: In 2009, authorities did not uncover any 
major drug processing labs.  Police reported 58,403 narcotics-related 
crimes from January to September 2009.  This represents a three percent 
increase compared to the corresponding period of 2008 when 56,735 cases 
were reported.  In 2008 a total of 78,200 narcotics related crimes were 
reported to the police.  Approximately 21 percent of the arrests under 
the Narcotics Act led to convictions, which on an average resulted in 
seven months in jail.  The majority of the crimes involved consumption 
and possession.  Two percent of all convictions are considered serious 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000705  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
violations and the average conviction is four years and eight months 
imprisonment. 
 
¶16. In March 2009, the police made a large drug bust of 447 buyers of 
narcotics all over the country.  The operation was aimed at clients of 
a 44 year old man selling Tramadol, a drug similar to morphine, via the 
internet.  The 44 year old was sentenced to ten years in prison for 
drug-related crimes. 
 
Amounts seized per substance per year in kilograms: 
(January - September) 
            2009   2008    2007 
Cannabis    1,423  1,331   848 
Amphetamine 374    315     227.6 
Heroin      15     37.7    13.5 
Cocaine     49.8   48.8    15.7 
Khat        9,396  6,800   5,000 
Ecstasy 
(number of pills) 
            1,024  33,114  102,111 
 
Number of drug seizures by Swedish Authorities: 
(January - September) 
Cannabis    6,074  6,917   4,822 
Amphetamine 3,379  3,259   4,154 
Heroin      349    447     477 
Cocaine     419    483     412 
Ecstasy     13     143     120 
Khat        159    175     146 
 
Figures on seizures for 2009 only include Police statistics, the 
Customs reports 2,752 seizures in total for January - September 2009. 
Statistics per substance will not be available until the beginning of 
¶2010. 
 
¶17. Corruption: There were no known cases of public corruption in 
connection with narcotics in Sweden during the year.  Swedish law 
covers all forms of public corruption and stipulates maximum penalties 
of six years imprisonment for gross misconduct or taking bribes. 
Neither the government nor any senior government official is believed 
to engage in, encourage or facilitate the production or distribution of 
narcotics or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds 
from illegal drug transactions. 
 
¶18.  Agreements and Treaties: Sweden is a party to the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention and is meeting the Convention's goals and objectives. 
Sweden is a party to the 1961 Single Convention, as amended by the 1972 
Protocol, and to the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. 
Sweden is also a party to the UN Convention against Corruption and the 
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols 
against trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling. The Swedish 
Police have a cooperation agreement with the Russian Narcotics Control 
Authorities.  The agreement is meant to facilitate counternarcotics 
efforts in the region through information sharing and bilateral law 
enforcement coordination.  The US and Sweden cooperate in extradition 
matters under an extradition treaty signed in 1961 and amended in 1983. 
 Sweden has bilateral instruments with the U.S. implementing the 2003 
U.S.-EU Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Agreements.  Both 
countries have ratified these agreements. 
 
¶19. Sweden has bilateral customs agreements with the United States, the 
United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Norway, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia, the 
Czech Republic, Iceland, Russia, Lithuania, France, Finland, Estonia, 
Poland, Denmark and the Netherlands.  Through the EU, Sweden also has 
agreements with other nations concerning mutual assistance in customs 
issues and anti-drug efforts. 
 
¶20. Cultivation/Production: No major illicit drug 
cultivation/production was detected during the year. 
 
¶21. Drug Flow/Transit: Drugs mainly enter the country concealed in 
commercial goods, by air, ferry, and truck over the Oresund Bridge 
linking Sweden to Denmark.  The effectiveness of customs checks at 
StockholmQs Arlanda airport is believed to have resulted in an upward 
trend of smuggling by truck and ferry.  The increase in seizures is, 
according to Swedish Customs, a result of increased international 
information exchange between agencies.  Most seized amphetamines 
originate in Poland, the Netherlands, and Baltic countries.  Regular 
Baltic ferry routes serve Sweden; in the spring and southern months, 
amphetamines are trafficked into Sweden via maritime routes.  Cannabis 
usually comes from Morocco and southern Europe; and khat from the Horn 
of Africa via Amsterdam and London. 
 
¶22. Khat use is increasing and, according to the Swedish Customs, 
criminal networks smuggle khat to Sweden mainly from Kenya, Ethiopia 
and Yemen via Amsterdam, London and Copenhagen.  In 2009 (January - 
July) Swedish customs seized 6.4 tons of khat, a significant increase 
compared to 2008.  In 98 percent of the cases the seizures were made 
near to the Vresund Bridge between Sweden and Denmark.  It is mainly 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000705  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
Somali men in Sweden that use the drug. 
 
¶23. The influence of outlaw motorcycle gangs, such as Hells Angels and 
Bandidos, remains significant in Sweden.  Such groups are regularly 
involved in the distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, 
which they acquire from Albanian, Serbian and Montenegrin traffickers. 
Cocaine often comes through Spain and the Baltic region or directly 
from South America in freight containers.  The route for heroin is more 
difficult to establish, but according to police information, a West 
African network has established a route to Sweden via Portugal and 
Spain.  West African smugglers are also more likely to carry heroin and 
cocaine into Sweden in suitcases or in their personal property.  In 
2009, Swedish law enforcement did not seize any drugs intended for the 
U.S. market. 
 
¶24. Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction: The National Institute of 
Public Health and municipal governments are responsible for organizing 
and providing compulsory drug education in schools.  In 2009, the 
Public Health Institute updated its education program for students.  In 
cooperation with the municipalities and parental groups the aim is to 
increase the measures for teaching children "how to say no" to drugs. 
The new so called "education in life" is integrated in the regular 
curriculum.  Several NGO's are also devoted to drug abuse prevention 
and public information programs. 
 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶25. Bilateral Cooperation: Swedish cooperation with U.S. Government law 
enforcement authorities on all issues, including narcotics, continues 
to be excellent. 
 
¶26. The Road Ahead: The U.S. will pursue enhanced cooperation with 
Sweden and the EU on narcotics issues. 
 
BARZUN