Norwegian Customs finds increased drugs, weapons ordered online by youth

OSLO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Increased quantity of drugs and weapons ordered by youth online have been seized by Norwegian Customs, newspaper Aftenposten reported Thursday.

In some cases, children used their own credit cards for purchase of drugs that arrive wrapped in candy and chocolate packages.

The customs expressed worry over this increasing trend and urged parents to be more awake.

"It sounds strange, but we know that youngsters trick their parents in this way," Lars Teigen, head of office in the customs region of Oslo and Akershus, told Aftenposten.

According to latest statistics, Norwegian Customs has never before made as many seizures as in 2017. There were in total 37,500 registered seizures, out of which almost 4,400 were drug seizures.

The figures also showed that the number of weapon seizures has increased in the last six years, from 143 seizures in 2012 to 492 in 2017.

Teigen warned that, as youth today get both internet access and credit cards earlier than before, more and more drugs and weapons were purchased.

"Drugs are not just as they were thirty years ago. They arrive as wine gums and chocolate. Wrapped and packed as a mobile cover, or, for example, what we found these days: a lip gloss where the content was replaced with ecstasy," he said.

"Unfortunately, we have set a new record in the number of drug seizures. The Internet has made it easy to order drugs, medicines and doping drugs," said Oystein Bormer, director general of Norwegian Customs. "I am worried that people are playing with their own health when getting intoxicated." Enditem