Nordic countries join forces to combat the spread of Swedish gang crime – World

STOCKHOLM: The Nordic countries will step up police cooperation and set up a hub in Stockholm to prevent Sweden’s serious gang crime problem from spreading to Norway, Finland and Denmark, the Swedish government announced on Wednesday.

Swedish gangs have long been among the most violent in Europe, but this year 10 Swedes, more than half of whom are minors, have been charged with attempted murder or weapons possession in Denmark, sparking widespread unrest and fierce criticism in Denmark.

Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer told Reuters that Sweden and Denmark would station police officers in each other’s countries in response.

“A major reason for this is to be able to share information between our countries in real time,” Strommer said. “Both to be able to identify at an earlier stage which children and young people are at risk of being sucked into these criminal networks, and to prevent this.”

In addition, a Nordic hub of police officers from Finland, Norway and Denmark would be set up in Stockholm. Norwegian and Finnish officers are already there, and the Danes would join in a few weeks.

Swedish gang members have been hired by Danish gangs to carry out violent attacks on rivals. According to Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard, there have been 25 such cases since April alone.

He called them “child soldiers” and said Sweden has a “sick” culture of violence that is not welcome in Denmark.

“The reality now is that not only Denmark but also large parts of the Scandinavian countries are feeling the consequences of Sweden’s long-term failed immigration and legislative policies, and we take that very seriously,” Hummelgaard told a news conference on Wednesday.

Strommer said Denmark also bears some responsibility for its own gangs, but agreed with much of the criticism of Sweden’s gang problem.

Sweden has had one of the most generous immigration policies in the Western world for decades, but has tightened it significantly in recent years following a sharp rise in crime, largely due to the poor integration of immigrants.

Sweden has the highest rate of gun violence per capita in the European Union. Last year, 55 people were shot dead in 363 separate incidents in a country of just 10 million people. By comparison, the other three Scandinavian countries combined had just six fatal shootings.

According to police, Swedish gangs have in some cases helped troubled youths, some as young as 14, escape from juvenile detention centers and commit contract killings in exchange for new clothes, money and drugs.

Norway reports that Swedish criminal networks are now active throughout the country.

The gangs’ presence has become more visible amid higher drug prices and less competition, Norwegian police said in a recent letter to the government obtained by Reuters under Norway’s Freedom of Information Act.