Smuggling of snuff has increased dramatically, according to the Finnish language newspaper Kaleva.
The customs authorities last year seized 673 kilograms of snuff equivalent to about 22,400 snuff boxes. The figure was over 75 per cent more than that in the previous year.
Hannu Sinkkonen, the anti-crime chief at Finnish Customs said the amount of snuff seized in 2013 was significantly higher than that witnessed in the previous seven years.
“I do not remember if there had ever been such a large seizure before,” said Sinkkonen, who predicted that the trend is likely to continue.
According to Sinkkonen, snuff business has spread to people who have no previously experience in it and among them are individuals who have no prior criminal record.
Snuff smuggling can lead to a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.
