Stricter measures against the export of stolen goods

Patrik Björck (S)

Mr. Speaker! Customs' ability to stop cross-border crime and the smuggling of weapons, drugs, and money, as well as the export of, among other things, stolen goods, is crucial for breaking organized crime and increasing safety in our country.

We therefore welcome the proposed measures to make it more difficult for international theft gangs and to strengthen the Swedish Customs' direct crime fighting. Even though the problems with stolen goods are about the police not having sufficient resources to pursue the theft gangs that plague Sweden, we consider it to be of great importance that the work against the export of stolen goods is strengthened.

As part of this, it is important that Sweden establishes customs cooperation with corresponding authorities in our neighboring countries and also works towards this within the EU. In such customs cooperation, systems for the control of suspected stolen goods should be able to be established to further strengthen the work.

Furthermore, we note that the increased demands on the customs service mean that they need increased resources to be able to handle their mission, which Tullverket points out in its consultation response. At the same time, the customs service's powers need to be regularly reviewed and updated so that, in addition to delivering on its core mission, it shall contribute to crime fighting.

The Customs' own assessment of the situation is that societal developments in several areas place higher demands on the Swedish Customs' capacity. Organized crime continues to pose a challenge for the Swedish Customs. The deteriorated security situation with the war in Ukraine and an increased threat profile imply increased demands on the security work within the agency. The war has also increased the Swedish Customs' work effort regarding sanctions to maintain the restrictions on the import and export of certain goods.

For several years, the Swedish Customs has worked on adaptations to comply with the latest revision of the Union Customs Code. This has led to a backlog of investment needs, while negotiations are ongoing within the EU regarding a new reform package that will lead to new investment needs in the digital systems.

The Swedish Customs will receive new powers that will lead to an increased focus on the control of the outgoing flow – which is what we are discussing today. Powers to search for stolen goods leaving the country and to actively search for cash at the internal border will entail new opportunities but also necessitate increased staffing to achieve any effect. Furthermore, the Swedish Customs has prioritized the work against the illegal export of waste, which also requires more staffing in the outgoing flow.

Madam Speaker! There are also events taking place that will have a long-term impact on Sweden and the Swedish Customs. The world is entering a period of high conflict levels within trade policy where tariffs will play a decisive role, and it will characterize the coming years.

Madam Speaker! Let me move on to some data exercise.

On 29 April 2021, the Social Democratic government decided to task a special investigator with conducting a comprehensive review of the Swedish Customs Service's powers within its control activities and its crime-fighting activities.

On 13 April 2022, the Social Democratic government decided on a supplementary directive which meant that the investigator was also tasked with conducting a review of the customs law sanction system, considering whether the Swedish Customs should be given the possibility to retain forfeited property to a greater extent for use in educational purposes, and considering whether the Swedish Customs should be given the possibility to assist prosecutors in investigations regarding independent forfeiture. The investigator was also to analyze and take a position on whether the Swedish Customs should be granted expanded possibilities for more controls of the export of goods, as well as analyze the need for and the possibility of making the export of stolen goods a crime.

On 30 March 2023, the current government decided on additional supplementary directives which meant that the investigation should be allowed to submit proposals on how the export of stolen goods can be criminalized regardless of the position on the merits.

The investigation took the name the Customs Authority Investigation and submitted, Madam Speaker, in September 2022 the sub-report Customs Authority's Legal Powers in a New Era. The report addresses the assignments in the committee directives from 29 April 2021. The investigation's proposals were addressed in the bill New Customs Authority Act. The legislative changes entered into force on 7 November 2024. A few years had passed.

In December 2023, the Customs Authority Investigation submitted its final report New customs law sanctions and tightened measures against the export of stolen goods. The report addresses the assignments in the supplementary directives from 13 April 2022 and 30 March 2023. This means that in today's debate, we are addressing the legislative proposals from the final report concerning the criminalization of the export of stolen goods, a special sentencing scale for narcotics smuggling of the normal degree when the purpose is to sell the narcotics, independent forfeiture, use of certain forfeited property, and early destruction of property. The legislative change of a corrective nature in the Act on movement control of certain goods subject to specific taxes is proposed to enter into force on 1 July 2025 and other changes on 1 September 2025.

We Social Democrats want to emphasize that we think the proposals are good and move for approval of the proposal in the committee report. The proposal that we are debating today, and hopefully also deciding on, has been initiated by the Social Democratic government. It is good that the sitting government completes what we started.

Madam Speaker! We are, however, concerned that it takes so long to get anything done. Even though the preliminary work was complete, it took almost a full parliamentary term to get it in place. The situation is so serious that such a lack of urgency is not okay. The Government must begin to take crime seriously, not just in words but also in action.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Boriana Åberg (M)

Madam Speaker! While I was listening to the beginning of Patrik Björck's speech, I thought: Oh, finally the Social Democrats have started thinking correctly and agreeing that crime fighting must be prioritized. Then Patrik Björck began to emphasize that everything good that is happening and has happened is due to Social Democratic decisions. Here I want to make a clarification.

All the proposals that are now becoming official policy came via announcements. For you listeners, I want to explain that announcements are assignments that the Riksdag gives to the government. It was the announcements from the Moderaterna, Sverigedemokraterna, Liberalerna, and Kristdemokraterna that are now becoming the government's policy and the official policy. A little humility would therefore be appropriate, Patrik Björck.

In addition to everything I have said, the Social Democrats, the Green Party, and the Left Party also reserved themselves against these announcements.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Patrik Björck (S)

Madam Speaker! I shall take the opportunity and show a little humility. I do not actually believe that everything good that happens is due to Social Democratic policy, but very much so. In this report, the proposals depend primarily on Social Democratic decisiveness. It is important to keep in mind. But a small measure of humility I can absolutely show.

There is, after all, a difference between the Riksdag and the government. When the government appoints an inquiry and writes directives to the inquiry, it steers the policy. That is how our entire decision-making process works, Madam Speaker. What I stated now was that we are concerned that it took almost one parliamentary term to implement the decision despite everything being in place. It was the lack of promptness, Madam Speaker, that I wanted to point out.

As has been said, there is a division of labor between the Riksdag and the government. When investigations are commissioned and preliminary work is carried out, the foundation for the legislation is laid. The main part of the investigation was presented even before the current government took office. Now we are at the end of the mandate period, and finally the proposals are arriving.

We see a societal development, Madam Speaker, that is very worrying. Shootings are increasing, explosions are increasing, and gang crime is increasing. But the government is very slow in its handling. One is big in words but small on the ground. It is this that I point out, Madam Speaker.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Boriana Åberg (M)

Madam Speaker! I want to once again emphasize that these investigations were commissioned due to the announcements that our parties, Moderaterna, Liberalerna, Sverigedemokraterna and Kristdemokraterna, gave the government.

When it has been a matter of expanded powers for customs officers, the Social Democratic government has been very hesitant. I remember the question of whether customs officers should be allowed to carry weapons and defend themselves in the escalated situation with increased crime. Then Magdalena Andersson said a flat no and handed over to the Director General of the Swedish Customs Service to decide for themselves.

I also remember how it was during the Social Democratic government when Tullverket, during Operation Rimfrost, provided assistance to the police with a narcotics search dog. Then they were reported to the EU, and the EU convicted Tullverket's officials for having assisted law enforcement with a narcotics search dog. At that level was the fight against organized crime during the Social Democrats' time.

I also want to add something else regarding the resources. Patrik Björck said in his speech that the police have not received enough resources. I have looked at the Social Democratic budget motion, and when it comes to the appropriations for the Swedish Police Authority, the deviation from the government's figures is plus minus zero. It is the same when it comes to the Swedish Customs. It is plus minus zero. It is not a single krona more than the government.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Patrik Björck (S)

Madam Speaker! Now we are back in a bit of a social studies lesson. It is clear that a committee can take initiative, and it is clear that a committee can do so in principle for as long as it wants and as many times as it wants. There is no way for a committee to force a government to write special investigation directives or appoint an investigation. It is the government's decision.

What Boriana Åberg is trying to present to those listening to the debate is actually not true. It has no bearing on how our decision-making works in this country. I can think that one still must have some contact with reality and the legislation if one is a legislator. Then I can understand that in a debate like this, one might use this type of trick a bit rhetorically. But it is important for any listeners to take in that is not how it works.

What has happened is that the Social Democratic government on 29 April 2021 decided to task the investigator with investigating what is the basis for the legislation. A supplementary directive came on 13 April 2022 from the Social Democratic government – that is this investigation. Then came a small, marginal supplementary directive on 30 March 2023 from the sitting government. One might well be humble and say that. But the absolute majority of the basis for what we are to debate and decide on today is a Social Democratic initiative. That, so to speak, cannot be conjured away, because it is a fact.

During this parliamentary term, we have submitted proposals for greater resources for Tullverket than the sitting government has. When we see the budget this autumn, we will have to see whether the question of whether the demands from Tullverket will be met will be followed up. It is quite clear that from Tullverket's side, they would gladly take on these tasks, but then one also needs the opportunities to carry them out.

(Applause)

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Eric Westroth (SD)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the Committee on Taxation's report 21 regarding stricter measures against the export of stolen goods. It is truly high time. For years we have seen the same pattern. International theft gangs travel through Sweden and break into companies, homes, farms, boats, warehouses, and vacation homes and leave the country in vans full of stolen goods. What is stolen ranges from jewelry and computers to chainsaws, lawnmowers, ATVs, and boat engines, but also construction machinery and car parts.

It happens quickly. In just a few days, an area can be hit by a wave of burglaries. Then the thieves are gone and have the stolen goods in their cargo. Despite the fact that both customs and the police have known what is going on, we have not had the right tools on the ground to prevent it. But now, Madam Speaker, that will change.

Now it will finally be criminal to export stolen goods out of the country as the Sweden Democrats, together with the government, are now introducing the new concept of export smuggling as a new criminal classification. The crime can lead to imprisonment for up to two years and in cases of gross export smuggling, imprisonment for up to six years, according to the sentencing scale.

Let me, for those who are not familiar with the background, explain that before 2021, Tullverket could not do much if they discovered suspected stolen goods in a car leaving Sweden during their controls. If the police did not manage to arrive before the ferry left the quay, they could not stop the car, could not detain the goods, and could not either detain the driver.

In 2021, new legislation was indeed introduced that made it possible for customs to stop goods and persons upon suspicion of a crime. However, it was only if it was discovered during routine control activities. Customs were not to actively search for stolen goods in outgoing traffic.

Despite the tightening, Sweden had already acquired a reputation among international theft gangs as a country where it is easy to commit burglaries and easy to get away with the goods. It goes without saying that this has been a major problem – not least for people in the countryside. Many who live in the countryside have tools, machines, vehicles and other valuable items. Often they are in places that are difficult to have adequate theft protection measures for and where the police are not readily available. When the gangs do strike, there is not much that prevents them.

It is certainly true that what is smuggled into the country, such as drugs and weapons, must be prioritized in the control activities. However, that does not mean we can simply turn a blind eye to organized gangs that systematically empty Swedish homes and businesses of valuables. It must be about people's safety. Society must put a stop to that type of crime.

It is not only an economic loss either. It is estimated that stolen goods with a value of around 1.5 billion kronor leave Sweden every year. It also gives a sense of powerlessness and insecurity that someone has broken in and rummaged through one's personal belongings.

Until now, society's response has often been too weak. Under the previous government, it was often referred to that it is the police's task to hunt thieves and that the customs service should not do the police's job. I believe that several members in here have had interpellation debates and asked questions to the former Minister for Finance. We were constantly given the answer that it is the police who should hunt the thieves and that the customs service should stand at the border and handle customs.

It is naturally a technical view on the distribution of responsibility, but it is not a particularly practical solution. In fact, when the police fail to apprehend the thieves before they leave the country, customs is our last hope. If we do not give the Swedish Customs (Tullverket) the right tools to act, we have given up. That we cannot accept.

What if we were to say the same thing the other way around: that the police should not actually be searching for drugs and weapons on the street, because it is actually the customs' responsibility to stop that at the border. That sounds completely unreasonable, so why should we treat the export of stolen goods differently?

So, it will now be a crime to export stolen goods from Sweden. It is a simple and important legislative change that will make a difference. We know that crimes decrease when the risk of detection increases. It is quite obvious.

Thanks to the cooperation between the Sweden Democrats and the government, this is now being implemented. So, it was not just announcements to the government during the last parliamentary term – last spring 2022. It is also stated very clearly in the Tidö Agreement. On page 26, Customs has its own paragraph regarding its expanded role in crime fighting. In the last sentence of the paragraph, it states that the export of stolen goods shall be criminalized. Those are five words that, when it comes to the perception of justice in Sweden, mean a lot for those affected by international theft gangs.

In the supplementary directive to the investigator in 2023, which was discussed in the previous exchange of remarks, it was very clear that the export of stolen goods would be criminalized. This will, of course, not solve all the problems overnight. We will still need more customs officers, better equipment, and more resources – especially at ports and border crossings where much of the stolen goods pass through.

The law change, however, gives Customs the tools they previously lacked. This is not only important for stopping crime. It is also about the signal value. We are now telling the international theft gangs: Sweden is no longer a free field. Here you will meet resistance, and here you will not get away with it.

We also know that the customs officers have requested this, those who stand there every day and do the work. They have seen the problems time and again. Now they finally get legislation behind them that allows them to act.

But we must not lean back. This is an important victory, but we must continue. We need to strengthen the customs, expand the border controls and continue cooperation between authorities to put a stop to organized crime. Because that is exactly what this is about: organized, international crime that hits ordinary people hard, especially in the countryside, where resources are often fewer, where it is sparser between the police and where it takes time to get help. Then we must use the tools we have, and Tullverket is one of them.

Madam Speaker! It is a good day for Sweden – not only because we are getting a new law, but because the new law will actually make a difference.

We take responsibility. We strengthen the rule of law. We increase safety, not least for those living in the countryside, where the theft crimes have often hit hardest. Now the thieves will find it harder to get away with it. And that is exactly how it should be.

I vote in favor of the committee's proposal.

(Applause)

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Boriana Åberg (M)

Madam Speaker! For many years, Sweden has been subjected to systematic looting, carried out by international theft gangs – theft gangs that have come here to commit all kinds of crimes: residential burglaries, shop thefts, vehicle and car thefts, thefts of boat engines, thefts from farms and thefts from construction sites.

Property worth several billion kronor has been taken out of the country annually. To the costs must also be added the increased resources that companies and private individuals are forced to allocate to surveillance.

A report from the police titled International Crime Networks within Organized Property Crime shows that the international crime networks are unfortunately well-established in Sweden. A large part of the crime profits are reinvested into new crimes and contribute to the maintenance of parallel societies. The reason why Sweden has long been regarded as a buffet for criminals has been obvious: low risk of detection in combination with low penalties.

The previous government gained the voters' confidence thanks to its determination when it comes to tackling crime. The bill Sharp measures against the export of stolen goods is another step in the right direction. It counters theft gangs by significantly limiting their opportunity to transport stolen goods out of the country.

As is well known, international crime networks act based on economic incentives. When crime profits decrease, they seek out new countries. When the bill became known, many reacted to the fact that it was only now that the export of stolen goods was criminalized. Yes, it is surprising, Madam Speaker, but it took a Moderate-led government to make the export of stolen goods punishable.

Admittedly, there has been legislation against both theft and receiving stolen goods, but it has not been able to be used effectively against the export of stolen goods and has in no way prevented foreign theft rings from taking orders, stealing, and then delivering to customers abroad some days later.

It has simply been too difficult to prove all the circumstances required for a conviction. Therefore, the government's proposal for the introduction of a new crime, export smuggling, represents a breakthrough in the fight against theft gangs. The penalty for export smuggling is proposed to be imprisonment for a maximum of two years, and for aggravated export smuggling, imprisonment for a minimum of six months and a maximum of six years.

The introduction of the new crime, which directly targets the concrete problem, provides significantly better conditions to combat this type of crime, which has grown into an increasingly serious social problem. The proposal also means that attempts, preparation and branding for smuggling and aggravated smuggling are criminalized.

Another advantage of the new crime of export smuggling is also that it can be linked to the powers of customs officers in a clearer way than smuggling in general. The Government also proposes that the new crime shall be included in the Swedish Customs' main mission. The special powers in border areas proposed in the bill are intended to ensure that customs can detect export smuggling and intervene to prevent stolen goods from being exported from the country.

Along with the bill, three announcements are also being addressed which the Riksdag submitted to the previous Social Democratic government on three occasions in 2021 and 2022. These assignments were:

to expand Tullverket's task to control the export of goods and that the export of stolen goods shall be a crime

to give Tullverket better opportunities to prevent stolen goods from being exported out of the country and to strengthen Tullverket's crime-fighting activities

that the export of stolen goods should be a crime according to the smuggling act and that Customs should be given powers to stop, seize and detain goods or transports until the police arrive at the scene.

Even though the Social Democrat Patrik Björck would like to take the credit for the announcements now becoming a reality because it was the Social Democratic government that commissioned the investigations, I want to remind everyone that countless investigations, commissioned by both Social Democratic and other governments, are lying and gathering dust in boxes. The credit therefore goes to the current government, which took action on the matter and realized the Riksdag's announcements.

Whatever Patrik Björck says about lessons in social studies, it is actually the Riksdag that represents the people, and all power derives from the people. Thus, the governments must listen to the Riksdag.

Madam Speaker! It is no exaggeration to say that the law is long-awaited. We must not forget that the damage caused by these thefts is many times greater than just the material value of the stolen goods. The suffering of people whose homes have been ransacked of valuables, whose cars and boats have been destroyed, and whose tools and agricultural machinery have been stolen cannot be measured in money.

When tools and machines are stolen from a company or farm, the work stops for several days – not to mention the lost security and trust in society. Therefore, it is important to put a stop to the theft crimes.

I vote in favor of the committee's proposal.

(Applause)

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Patrik Björck (S)

Madam Speaker! I shall be brief. The problem is that the investigations gathered dust and that finished proposals were not put into practice. That is what I have criticized from the rostrum here today, Madam Speaker.

There are very many committee initiatives that gather dust; I can agree with that. But the fact is that it is the government that decides what to do with them. In this case, the Social Democratic government took up the matter and presented a basis that the sitting government, if it truly had wanted to, could have quickly implemented in practice. But now it has been dragging its feet for almost one parliamentary term and let this proposal gather dust.

We Social Democrats are glad that there is now legislation in this area, but it could have gone much, much faster. That is the problem.

(Applause)

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Boriana Åberg (M)

Madam Speaker! I want to say that the proposals were presented in December 2024. It is actually a record short time between that and when they enter into force in September this year. That thing about gathering dust in the boxes does not apply to just these investigations.

If the Social Democrats were so convinced of the excellence of the proposals, why did they do nothing earlier? These proposals were submitted during virtually the entire time that the Löfven 1 and 2 governments were in power, but back then nothing happened. When there was finally a majority in the chamber that forced the Social Democrats to appoint an inquiry, something finally happened, but it still did not proceed fast enough for the Löfven government – or the Magdalena Andersson government – to be able to take the credit for it becoming a reality.

I would suggest that we stop bickering here, Patrik Björck, and instead rejoice that good proposals become legislation and that crime fighting will receive even better tools. Hopefully, we will put a stop to these international theft rings, which I believe the Social Democrats hate just as much as I do.

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Patrik Björck (S)

Madam Speaker! Yes, no, we are not going to engage in any fuss – but possibly a bit of order and tidiness.

We are absolutely in agreement that it is good if we can put a stop to these thieves. I and Boriana Åberg can definitely vouch for that, Madam Speaker. But it is still a bit so that right must be right. Before the current government took office, there was a proposal on how one could solve the majority of these problems, and the first proposals entered into force in – I will check my papers so that I say correctly – November 2023. The final proposals, which were submitted by an inquiry in March 2023, entered into force in November 2024.

It is clear that it is unnecessary waiting time. Every day, every week, every month and every year that this has been allowed to continue is a problem. Then, Boriana Åberg and I, and all parties here in the Riksdag, agree that it is good that it has been put in place – absolutely. It is just a bit of a shame that it didn't go a bit faster, because naturally, a number of billions have slipped away in the meantime. It has caused a lot of misery for individual people.

Now this is being implemented, and that is good. Hopefully, the government will act with less hesitation and greater force in the future. At least we can hope for that.

(Applause)

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Boriana Åberg (M)

Madam Speaker! Patrik Björck thinks that two years is a very long time. I think that the eight years when a Social Democratic government had power and could introduce adequate legislation is an even longer time. But we should, as said, not bicker.

I am glad that the Social Democrats have turned in the issue regarding Tullverket's duty to combat crime. For a very long time, Tullverket has been viewed as some kind of fiscal unit. It has been thought that it is the police's task to stop the theft gangs and that it is the police who should do that job. This has resulted in that wagons, trucks, and other vehicles filled with stolen goods have been able to pass the border. Now that is over, and it is the Moderate-led government that has achieved this.

(Applause)

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Annika Hirvonen (MP)

Madam Speaker! We have now heard a long discussion about whose merit it is that it is now to be easier to be caught if one tries to take stolen goods out of Sweden.

I can state that all parties are in agreement on the proposals today, and then perhaps it is just who was first, who did the most, and who was fast or slow that remains to be discussed. But I still want to give a short speech in honor of the broad consensus. It is, after all, quite often present in politics, but when we are in complete agreement, there are usually no speeches. Then we do not prioritize coming here to debate.

Today, however, we do it, and it is no coincidence. Today, it is actually some particularly important proposals that we agree on. It might not sound so exciting, "Sharper measures against the export of stolen goods." There are several words in that title that my seven-year-old wouldn't have understood. But we can say it like this instead: It is going to become easier to catch those who snatched your bike when they try to take it on the boat out from Sweden. Yes, then even the seven-year-old understands what it is about.

Unfortunately, many of us have been affected by, for example, bicycle thefts, and soon it will be that season again when many want to cycle – and then many bicycles no longer remain where they were locked. It is one of many types of thefts that become slightly less profitable when we now introduce the new regulations. Now, the customs will namely be tasked with actually searching for items that burglary gangs or bicycle thieves have taken and then want to drive out and sell in some other country.

Making it easier for the police or customs to detect crimes is actually one of the smartest things we can do if we want to reduce the number of crimes. Just the risk of getting caught affects burglars and other criminals much more than, for example, long prison sentences. It is because only if you actually believe that you risk getting caught does it matter what is in the penal code's list of punishments. If you think it is completely fine because no one is going to catch you, then it doesn't matter what the punishment would be. Now customs is tasked with searching for stolen goods also on the way out. That is something positive.

At the same time, we are reviewing the sentencing scale for drug smuggling. We are giving Tullverket better opportunities to cooperate with prosecutors when it comes to independently forfeiting items that people handle illegally.

It simply becomes a bit smoother to handle crime fighting when it moves across borders. It is something that we in Miljöpartiet think is good.

We think it is good that we are in agreement. I do not intend to get into who was fastest, first and best, who came up with which idea and who worked hardest for this, Madam Speaker, but I actually think we can rejoice in the fact that today we are in agreement to make it harder for burglars and bicycle thieves to take our things and sell them somewhere else.

If you do not want to applaud me, you can pause and still give a small round of applause for this consensus. I think that would be very nice!

(Applause)

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Anders Ekegren (L)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating SkU21 Stricter measures against the export of stolen goods. It is very pleasing that the Riksdag is to make a decision today in this issue, which is so important for the citizens.

I have for many years wondered how easy it is to smuggle stolen goods out of the country. It is often international theft rings that are responsible for what we often call everyday crimes for private individuals but also for entrepreneurs. It can be residential burglaries, burglaries in vacation homes, thefts from construction sites, systematic shoplifting, or theft of boat engines, cars, vehicle parts, machines, tools, tractors, construction machinery, diesel, and metal.

As private individuals, we are affected by this in many ways: the residential burglaries, wheels disappearing from cars, the boat motor that just vanished, and statues disappearing in parks. And in my local grocery store, the meat and the coffee are constantly being moved closer to the checkout.

Some are sold in Sweden, but much is sold abroad. The Police Authority estimates that 50 percent of residential burglaries and 90 percent of the other crimes were committed by international crime networks. According to the government's bill, very much of this is [sold] abroad.

It is certainly important that the police systematically try to prosecute these crimes when they occur. But the Swedish Customs Service has an important mission and, with the new legislation, will receive an even more important mission in crime-fighting activities.

With this new legislation, the government wants to reduce the international crime's opportunities to export items out of the country, and it will reduce crime. Today, it is practically free rein to export stolen goods out of the country. The risk of detection is minimal.

The new law is welcomed by many organizations such as Villaägarna, Företagarna, Maskinentreprenörerna, Byggindustrin, Svensk Försäkring and Larmtjänst – organizations that are well acquainted with this crime.

Madam Speaker! It was through the current government's decision on March 30, 2023, regarding the supplementary directive on how the export of stolen goods can be criminalized that it became a point of contention in the proposal. It is good that the current government sees things coming.

The new legislation gives Tullverket new, important powers. The Government proposes that the new crime, export smuggling, shall be included in Tullverket's main mandate. Carrying out controls for the purpose of detecting the export of stolen goods has previously not been included in Tullverket's main mandate. How has this been possible?

It is now proposed that Tullverket be granted powers to intervene against the new crime of export smuggling. This means powers to search means of transport without suspicion of a crime and to body-search persons in order to search for stolen goods.

It is also proposed that Tullverket be given the opportunity to initiate a preliminary investigation regarding the investigation of the new crime of smuggling. This means that Tullverket can take certain investigative measures such as detaining persons, conducting initial interrogations, and examining the property in question which is suspected of being stolen goods. The preliminary investigation shall be promptly handed over to Polismyndigheten, which takes over the responsibility for proceeding with the investigation.

This contributes positively to and increases the probability that more crimes are uncovered, which in the long run reduces organized thefts in the country. The Swedish Customs Service is already present today in the places where stolen goods most often leave the country, and now the Swedish Customs Service will have clearly sharper tools to counteract this type of crime.

This also means that more controls than today will be carried out on outgoing traffic. The vast majority of Customs' controls are currently carried out on incoming traffic, where they specifically look at weapons, explosives, narcotics and dangerous products, and the fiscal part of collecting duties, taxes and fees.

Actually, one can summarize this by saying that I believe today's decision that we are to take in the chamber is an immensely important decision for very many people and very many entrepreneurs. It is always difficult to highlight the Committee on Taxation, but I believe that today we are doing something really good that I believe many will be grateful for.

Stricter measures against the export of stolen goods

Madam Speaker! I vote in favor of the proposal in the Committee on Taxation's report.

(Applause)

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(Decisions were made under § 14.)

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