Customs intercept exceptionally large quantities of smuggled snuff

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"Have you got any snuff?" a customer asks.
      "Of course. Which brand?" a sales person answers nonchalantly while talking on the phone.
      The customer receives a box of snuff from under the counter, hands over ten euros, and receives a fiver in return.
      This is how easy it was to buy some snuff from a Helsinki kiosk last week, despite the fact that the selling of snuff is illegal in Finland. In actual fact the substance in question is called "snus" in Swedish, is moist powder tobacco, and it differs slightly from other forms of snuff (see link below).
      In recent months the Finnish Customs have investigated three substantial cases of suspected snuff smuggling. Each one of the cases relate to suspicions of importing and distributing thousands of kilograms of the illegal substance.
      The monetary value of the smuggled snuff is in the millions of euros.
     
The latest suspicion of smuggling of snuff is from the Ostrobothnia region, where the Customs are investigating a case of illegal imports of over half a million boxes of snuff between 2001 and 2006.
      The suspicion is that the snuff has been resold at 13 kiosks and gas stations in Ostrobothnia. Two men from the Pietarsaari region are suspected of having imported the substance.
      The men are under suspicion of aggravated tax fraud, smuggling, and selling of a substance prohibited by the tobacco legislation. The Customs suspect the men of tax evasion worth in excess of EUR 1.5 million.
      According to the Customs estimate, the men have imported around 20,000 kilograms of snuff in 50-gram and 24-gram boxes.
      The resellers of the snuff have also rendered themselves guilty of engaging in selling illegal imports and products banned by law.
      The case will enter into consideration of charges in the coming weeks.
     
Officials in Sweden are investigating two firms in the Haparanda region over having knowingly sold snuff to the Finnish smugglers, to the tune of around three million euros.
      For the first time, the Swedish Customs is looking into a case of selling snuff to a Finn as a smuggling crime.
      Sweden is the only EU country where selling snuff is legal. A Finn may bring snuff back from Sweden for personal use, but resale is a crime.
      According to a poll from two years ago, five percent of Finnish men and two percent of women use snuff at least occasionally.


Links:
  Snus (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat