Image: Federal Office of Customs and Border Security OFDF
Border police, customs officers and gendarmerie from Switzerland and France have been conducting coordinated controls of an unprecedented scale this week across 570km of border between the countries.
On Wednesday night, just few days before the opening of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, nearly 500 vehicles and 900 people were checked across Valais, Vaud, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Jura, Basel-Country and Basel-City on the Swiss side and Haut-Rhin, Territoire de Belfort, Doubs, Jura and Haute Savoie on the French side.
They discovered numerous violations concerning weapons, narcotics, waste and even tobacco import.
There has been a gradual increase in cooperation between the customs officers of France and Switzerland over the past few years.
Switzerland’s economic outlook remains cautious, with the KOF Swiss Economic Institute forecasting growth of around one percent in 2026,although that depends on falling oil prices.
Heavy traffic is expected across Switzerland over the Easter holiday period, particularly on the A2 Gotthard autoroute and the A13 San Bernardino route from March 27.