Sweden has serious challenges with organized crime and other serious crime, while the security situation has deteriorated. The Customs Service is one of the important authorities that are at the front line of the crime-fighting work. The government is now rapidly changing the policy to strengthen the fight against crime and Sweden’s combined system power. Due to the change in policy that is now taking place, the government sees a need for a new management for the authority.
– One of the government’s most important tasks is the fight against organized crime and gang crime. Customs has a central role in that work, and the authority gets new tools and muscle to fight crime. Charlotte Svensson has made several important contributions to the Swedish Customs Service, not least by strengthening the intelligence-based work. Now a new management needs to take over who can carry out that work with new perspectives, says Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson.
Against this background, the government has, after consultation with Director General of Customs Charlotte Svensson, decided that she will leave her current assignment and instead be given responsibility for an investigation. The investigation concerns municipalities’ possibilities to carry out background checks before and during employment in the municipalities. The investigation will be fast-tracked.
– Strengthening the municipalities’ ability to carry out background checks is a very high priority issue for the government. It is about protecting central social functions against, among other things, infiltration. With Charlotte Svensson’s background and competence, she is very well suited for the task, says Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson.
Today, the government decides that Charlotte Svensson will become director general in the Government Office. The new interim director general of customs will be director general Johan Norrman. A new regular Director General of Customs will be recruited in an open application process according to standard procedures.
