• Sweden edition

Smuggler with underpants package bites Swedish customs officer

Published: 17 Feb 10 10:27 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/25042/20100217/

A suspected drug smuggler, caught with almost 100 grammes of cocaine in his underpants, tried to bite his way out of the clutches of the Swedish customs.

The 41-year-old man consented to accompany customs and excise officials when he was challenged on the platform of Malmö Syd Svågertorp station in southern Sweden in December 2009, according to local newspaper Kvällsposten.

The suspected drug smuggler went as far as to agree to removing his clothing down to his underpants, at which point he refused to undress further, claiming to be shy.

"It looked like he had something very large nestling aside his sexual organ," a customs official said in a police interview according to the newspaper.

With the search at an uneasy stalemate, the man tried to dispose of a package on the sly, and a wrestling match broke out with customs officials.

As the officer and the minimally clad 41-year-old became embroiled in a tugging match on the floor of the interrogation room, the officer felt the would-be drug smuggler's teeth bite into his upper arm, the newspaper reports.

After the situation had calmed down customs officials were able to conclude that the package contained almost 100 grammes of cocaine.

The 41-year-old man has now been charged with aggravated smuggling and assaulting an official.

TT/Peter Vinthagen Simpson (news@thelocal.se)

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12:02 February 17, 2010 by Nemesis
He is a cocaine dealer. He should rot in jail.

Good work those customs officers.
12:10 February 17, 2010 by Audrian
If he has brought the drug for his own consumption he should be given a suspended sentence subject to the condition that he joins drug rehabilitation program and that he gives the names of his bodies who he was going to share the drug.

If he brought the drug for selling it he should be given stiff prison terms. In the former case the law may have to see him as a victim, but in the later case the law may have to look at him as ani-social or enemy of the state. If he is an immigrant the state should deport him.
14:15 February 17, 2010 by LailaC1
How can you tell if he has smuggled in the drugs for sale or for his own consumption?!

What he has done is illegal and for that he must be punished. He isn't a victim. he could have said no - no to smuggling them or no to using them.
17:15 February 17, 2010 by Audrian
Re Lailac1: I do not know who this criminal is. What I know is America's policy, "tough on drugs" including other crimes has not helped that country. It more than doubled the prison population. The US has the highest percentage of its people in prison. Some states have found it expensive. They also found that most prisoners become hard core criminals during their time in prison.

The Dutch have a good policy on drugs!
17:25 February 17, 2010 by johnnyrebel
Hang em high, of course, Judge Nemesis. 100 grams may a bit much for personal consumption but it hardly qualifies him as a big time dealer. Recreational drug use becomes a nasty problem when it involves cocaine...these users generally have some serious dysfunction. I wonder what the long term answer is to this sort of problem...because it is a serious one. Prisons in the USA are full of drug offenders and they are very expensive to keep incarcerated.
19:05 February 17, 2010 by hjoian
judging by the fact this guy had it stuffed down his jocks,tells me he is not a seriuos smuggler. I dont know how much the street value of cocaine is per gram in Stockholm, but i guess he could have been on a nice little earner if he considered dealing it. 100 grams is not an excessive amount for personal consumption.
08:56 February 20, 2010 by johnnyrebel
BTW Nemesis...what is the penalty that you would impose for biting the customs officer? Im a little afraid to ask.

Audrian...What is the Dutch policy?
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