Vorarlberg Customs Seizes Drugs, Hidden Weapons and 790 Litres of Champagne
In the first half of 2026, customs in Vorarlberg recorded 430 successful seizures – including narcotics, concealed stabbing weapons and champagne worth €23,000.
430 seizures: Vorarlberg customs issues mid-year report
Customs in Vorarlberg recorded a total of 430 successful seizures in the first half of 2026, as reported by Google News AT — Crime (de) citing the Finance Ministry. In the process, narcotics, prohibited weapons and goods lacking protected species permits were among the items seized.
Officers conducted more than 5,000 lorry inspections as well as approximately 16,000 mobile vehicle checks. Narcotics were seized a total of 120 times in road and postal traffic – alongside smuggled cigarettes and violations of species and plant protection regulations.
Vorarlberg's geographical location and proximity to the Swiss border make intensive inspections necessary. The Finance Ministry, which is responsible for customs matters, informed ORF Vorarlberg upon request that travel traffic at the borders is checked daily – both upon entry and departure.
Among the most unusual finds were two walking sticks that turned out to be concealed stabbing weapons during a routine inspection: the sticks contained retractable blades inside them. Both items were seized.
During one of the 220 mobile inspections, the authorities also seized 790 litres of champagne worth approximately €23,000. Also seized were two crocodile-leather handbags for which the required CITES documents were missing – the international protected species treaty regulates trade in products of protected animal and plant species.
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)