About the National Initiative

Svavar's fight against drug importation began on 1 September 1994. This was when Svavar began to familiarise himself with the conditions under which customs and police officers were working. Many interviews revealed that they lacked equipment, time and funds. He began purchasing equipment for them, first mobile phones and then computers, image surveillance equipment, night vision binoculars and cameras.

Svavar managed to get Althingi involved in drug issues on 10 December 1995 with a resolution on drug issues. Through his efforts, customs and police authorities now receive substantial funds from the authorities. Upcoming efforts include installing security cameras in all customs ports in Iceland to facilitate customs surveillance and to increase the security of seafarers. Svavar is lobbying to make the use of controlled substances illegal and has many supporters. He has been involved in ensuring the purchase of major equipment for the customs authorities, such as fibrescopes and ion scanners. Svavar has also, on his own, purchased equipment for ISK 5.7 million, mainly cameras and camera surveillance equipment.

Currently, Svavar is mostly interested in mafia finances, both large and small parties, highly placed and low placed; much has yet to be discovered in these matters.

The Norwegian Quisling was the model for national traitors.
People who betrayed their countries during the World War of 1939-1945 were quislings. The name became an international term for traitors. Now I would like to expand the term to include those who work for the mafia in Iceland. There seem to be a great many of them, both large and small, and both highly placed and lowly placed, and it is my intention to expose them.

I received a calling
- says Svavar Sigurdsson who fights the drug demon (Interview with Svavar).

Svavar Sigurdsson decided, at the age of 58, to answer the call of the Almighty and involve himself in the fight against the drugs demon, and to assist the police and customs authorities in this respect. Svavar recently visited Karl Hermannsson, Chief of Police of the Keflavík Police, to show him a new piece of equipment he calls the "Sniffer".

A good relationship with God.
"God spoke to me and told me what to do. We remain in contact every day", said Svavar who separated from his wife and sold his property 9 years ago. Since then he has travelled all over Iceland to provide help in the fight against drugs. "I have gone 7 times around the country, often of course including the West Fjords, and have, moreover, travelled several times to Akureyri," he says. The new equipment is a sensor that finds drugs hidden under clothing. Svavar says that Karl Hermannsson showed a great deal of interest in the equipment. Svavar has had meetings with Members of Parliament to try to ensure the purchase of the equipment. Svavar's support involves technical assistance as well as financial assistance.

A Free Iceland
His main point of emphasis in his initiative is to free Iceland from the drugs mafia, which as gained a strong foothold in this country. "The influence of the mafia is considerable and political and drugs are marketed with bribes. If people don't agree with me I encourage them to read the book “Falið vald eiturlyfjakolkrabbans” [The Hidden Power of the Drug Octopus] by Jóhannes Björn. Svavar has given all Members of Parliament, police stations, the Central Bank of Iceland, the Competition and Fair Trade Authority and tax offices in Iceland a copy of the book and is convinced that it has been a great help. Nevertheless he believes that it is important to work hard to halt this trend. Otherwise we can say goodbye to any self-determination.

Presidency only a matter of time
Word of Svavar's vision and courage has travelled far and wide. He has received a letter from the White House’s Drug Enforcement Agency in Washington in which the Agency approves him for co-operation. "I can serve other countries too, my spirit is that strong", he says. Svavar has achieved considerable success over the past 9 years. An example is the UN Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime that was approved by the Althingi on 19 February 1997. Svavar found this to be an extremely welcome birthday present. Svavar was instrumental in bringing this matter to the Althingi, along with Svavar Gestsson, Rannveig Gudmundsdóttir and Ólafur G. Einarsson, Speaker of the Althingi at the time. Today he has considerable and beneficial relations with officials and Members of Parliament as well as with mayors all over Iceland. "I have a great deal of influence and almost more influence than the government. It is only a matter of time until I become President, " says Svavar laughingly. arni@snn.is