Two North Korean diplomats in Russia have been arrested in Sweden on suspicion of smuggling cigarettes into the Nordic country.
Swedish Customs spokeswoman Monica Magnusson says the diplomats drove from Russia to Finland's capital Helsinki and crossed the border on a passenger ferry Wednesday.
Identity of the diplomats - a man and a woman in their fifties-was not disclosed.
The Customs officials said they confiscated 230,000 cigarettes hidden under blankets and baggage in their car when they were arrested in Stockholm.
They tried to plead a case of diplomatic immunity, but were denied it because they are stationed in Russia.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.