Teen murder-for-hire gangs in Denmark are Sweden’s responsibility, says minister

The Danish authorities are exerting increasing pressure on Sweden to help deal with a crime wave driven by Swedish citizens, many of whom are children.

According to Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard, there have been 25 incidents involving Swedish citizens in Denmark since April. Since August, there have been five cases where Danish police charged Swedish teenagers with serious crimes including attempted murder and triggering explosions.

“Criminal groups in Denmark have hired Swedish child soldiers — that’s what I call them — to carry out criminal deeds,” Hummelgaard said at a press conference Monday, adding that he will also pressure Sweden to take responsibility.

The teenagers are being seduced on social media, particularly Telegram, being promised hundreds of thousands of Swedish kronor for everything from spying and committing vandalism to violent acts and murder. Many have no prior criminal history.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Denmark won’t accept what is happening in the country.

“We have recently seen how gang conflicts have flared up. Explosions. Shootings. An eerie example is that cynical criminals hire Swedish youths to commit crimes in Denmark. We will not accept that. The government views the problem with the utmost seriousness,” she said.

Jens-Kristian Lütken, Copenhagen’s mayor of employment and integration, called on Sweden to help.

“Since this is a Swedish problem that has come to Denmark, it is natural that the Swedish police contributes to solving it,” Lütken said.

Following the criticism from the Danish side, the head of Sweden’s international unit at the National Operations Department (NOA), Håkan Wall, hit back at the country.

“Unfortunately, Sweden has distinguished itself by the fact that the gangs have a very high capital for violence and this is exploited by other criminals in neighboring countries. But that does not make Sweden responsible for all crime in either Denmark or Norway,” he told news agency TT.

Hummelgaard announced Tuesday that the cross-border police cooperation will be strengthened in the coming weeks, with Danish police officers to be stationed in Sweden, increased control at the border and stronger messaging to Swedish teenagers that would consider committing crimes in Denmark. The police has also requested a facial recognition tool, which the justice minister considers “a very good idea,” but requires changing the law.

Gang violence has been a major problem in Sweden for some time now. It exists in Denmark, too, but on a much lesser scale. Criminals choose to hire teenagers as they are often shielded from prosecution and face lower punishments if caught.

Diamant Salihu, a Swedish crime journalist, said that the Danish authorities shouldn’t succumb to the perception that the recruited teenagers have a poor background or grew up in a socially challenged environment.

“Many see it as a problem with migrants, but this radicalization and normalization of the gangster lifestyle also attracts middle-class children with OK backgrounds and parents who are ethnically Swedish. It’s not just the poor, challenged children anymore,” he told Danish TV 2, adding that it’s also girls who let themselves be hired.