ABSTRACT
Prior to the 2011 Norway terrorist attacks, widely referred to as ‘22 July’, the Norwegian Customs Service (Customs) had alerted the Norwegian Security Police Service to the importation of weapon-related products by a known terrorist. The purchases made by this terrorist initially led officials to place him on the watch list of the Norwegian Security Police Service, but no action was taken based on the information given. In the federal Report of the 22 July Commission, the poor coordination of the Norwegian Security Police with Customs was criticized. In this paper, we address whether Customs, as an important player in preventive safety and security, is actually being regarded as such. From a societal safety and risk-based regulatory perspective, we discuss the challenges of the state in recognizing and supporting the effectiveness of Customs as a vital contributor to a safe society.
