Sweden has been struggling with escalating gang crime for years. The authorities have now succeeded in a series of stage victories against the recent dramatic increase in attacks and shootings: several suspects have been arrested and explosive devices seized.
In the fight against increasing gang crime in Sweden, the authorities in the Scandinavian country have arrested several suspects and also seized weapons and drugs. As the Swedish public prosecutor announced, seven suspects were arrested on Thursday during a major police operation in Sundsvall, almost 400 kilometers north of Stockholm. They are accused, among other things, of preparing murder and serious weapons and drug crimes, as prosecutor Karin Everitt explained.
There were also a number of arrests in Stockholm. "We were able to prevent several serious violent crimes with this successful operation. Among other things, a murder and a number of blasts," explained Everitt about the operation in Sundsvall. Two minors aged 17 were among those arrested, she said later at a press conference. Weapons and large quantities of drugs were also confiscated during the operation. Presumed unexploded thermos bombs - thermos flasks filled with explosives - were also found.
Sweden has been struggling with rampant gang crime for several years. Since Christmas, the EU country has again experienced a wave of violence, with shots being fired almost every day and explosive devices detonating in the entrance areas of residential buildings. Several gangs are in conflict with each other, including about the drug market in Sundsvall, as several Swedish media recently reported. The police did not want to confirm this fight for sovereignty in the city's drug business at the press conference, but said that criminal networks were moving nationwide.
Much of the recent violence is currently concentrated in the Stockholm area. The police also reported arrests there: A total of 16 people had been arrested in different places in the region in the past 24 hours - including several minors, the Stockholm police said. Many of them could be linked to the recent violence, as could the numerous weapons and explosives confiscated. Those arrested are therefore accused of murder, murder preparation, generally dangerous devastation and serious weapons and drug offences.
At least three gang conflicts are said to be taking place in parallel in the Swedish capital. "The level of conflict in the criminal milieu is high and a lot of work is being done to stop this development," said the police, who recently received reinforcements from other parts of the country to be able to get the situation under control.
An end to the wave of violence is not yet in sight. Only on Friday night did another explosion occur in the entrance area of an apartment building in the Akalla district of Stockholm. Nobody was injured, but there was property damage. Elsewhere in the country - this time in Jönköping and Linköping - shots were fired during the night. According to the police, there were no injuries.
