Border guards intercept more criminals but fewer illegal migrants
Developments in the Mediterranean region have reduced the number of people arriving in Switzerland without proper paperwork. However, more criminals and drugs were intercepted at the border in 2017.
This content was published on
1 minute
SDA-ATS/ac
العربية
ar
حرس الحدود يُوقفون عددا أكبر من المجرمين وأقل من المهاجرين
According to information released by the Federal Customs Administration on Thursday, border guards processed 27,300 illegal migrants in 2017 compared to 48,000 the year before. Events in the Mediterranean had a significant impact in the number of arrivals in Ticino and Valais, it said. Of those that arrived, 17,526 were returned to foreign authorities.
More criminals tried to reach Swiss soil, however. Border guards arrested a total of 25,777 people (22,104 in 2016), 9,295 of whom had arrest warrants against their name. Customs also seized 4,263 prohibited weapons, including 64 firearms.
When it came to narcotics, khat seizures increased almost sevenfold to 4,658 kg (compared with 674 kg in 2016). Seizures of hashish and marijuana also increased significantly to 1,626 kg (455 kg in 2016). However, quantities of pills such as LSD and ecstasy fell (36,339 against 63,070).
Illegal medicines seizures remained stable with 1,060 packages intercepted (1,028 the previous year). Viagra and other erectile enhancers remain at the top of the list, accounting for 59% of the illegal medical packages seized.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
Vatican reprimands Swiss bishops for their handling of abuse allegations
This content was published on
The Vatican has reprimanded several Swiss bishops in connection with allegations of sexual abuse and their handling of it, including cover-ups.
Regional bus travel authorised between Italy and Switzerland
This content was published on
Passengers on public regional bus services between Italy and Switzerland will be able to board and alight within both countries.
Switzerland still gets poor marks on fighting corruption
This content was published on
Switzerland is still not getting good marks from the Council of Europe’s Group of States when it comes to fighting corruption.
Swiss man released after arrest in connection with Austrian bomb threats
This content was published on
A 20-year-old Swiss man was arrested under suspicion that he sent emails with bomb threats against numerous institutions in Austria.
Former top diplomats call on Switzerland to keep UNRWA funding
This content was published on
Some twenty former Swiss state secretaries, and ambassadors have called on the Swiss Senate not to stop payments to UNRWA.
Public prosecutor closes church abuse case in canton Valais
This content was published on
The Public Prosecutor's Office in the southern canton of Valais has closed the case of abuse perpetrated within the Church.
Number of women in Swiss labour market more than doubled in half century
This content was published on
According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, women's participation in the labor market has more than doubled in half a century.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss customs pick up fewer fake watches
This content was published on
The number of counterfeit watches confiscated by Swiss customs officials has plummeted by around 80% since the beginning of the year.
This content was published on
Swiss officials seized 1,060 shipments of illegally imported medicines in 2017. There was an increase in illegal imports from Eastern Europe.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.