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| Return to: NORWAY law enforcement agencies |
THE NORWEGIAN CUSTOMS AND EXCISE |
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The Norwegian Customs and Excise |
| The main tasks of the Norwegian Customs and
Excise are to collect duties and taxes for the Treasury
and prevent the unlawful import and export of goods.
Combating drugs and economic crime are main priorities. The Norwegian Customs and Excise comprises the Directorate of Customs and Excise in Oslo, an autonomous directorate placed directly under the Ministry of Finance, and the Regional Customs Administration, which is a subordinate agency. The Directorate is responsible for monitoring developments in international trade and business and industry, and for developing and formulating rules for the Ministry of Finance. The Directorate also administers the Regional Customs Administration, and determines the budget for the Administration’s overall activities. The Regional Customs Administration encompasses 11 customs regions, 34 customs offices and 10 anti-smuggling and/or customs clearance units in a country that has the world’s longest coastline and shares borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia. There are 68 border crossings at which persons may enter Norway by car from these countries. The Norwegian Customs Service employs approximately 1,850 persons, 250 of whom work in the Directorate of Customs and Excise and 1,600 in regional customs offices throughout the country. Norway has a total of 4.5 million inhabitants. The officer's of the customs have some restricted police authority. They can examine people, vehicles, aircrafts and sea vessels on routine. |