Customs officers in southern Sweden will begin using cameras to read license plates in an effort to zero in on suspected smugglers and other criminals.

The so-called Automatic Number Plate Recognition, or ANPR, cameras will be placed on the Öresund bridge, which connects the Swedish town of Malmö with Denmark and serves as a major entry point for Sweden.

The system can be used to detect if a vehicle is stolen, uninsured or has not had its vehicle tax paid.

"There are 18,000 vehicles per day crossing the Öresund bridge, and we can not have our eyes on everything. The cameras will assist...