Nordic countries will step up police co-operation and set up a centre in Stockholm to prevent Sweden’s serious gang problem from spreading to Norway, Finland and Denmark, Reuters reports.
Swedish gangs have long been among the most violent in Europe, but this year 10 Swedes – more than half of them minors – were charged in Denmark with attempted murder or weapons possession, prompting alarm and sharp criticism in Denmark.
Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer told Reuters on Wednesday that Sweden and Denmark would send police officers to each other’s countries in response. He also said:
“An important reason for this is to be able to share information between our countries in real time. Both to be able to identify at an earlier stage which children and young people are at risk of being drawn into these criminal networks, and to prevent it.”
A Nordic centre will be set up in Stockholm, with police officers from Finland, Norway and Denmark. Norwegian and Finnish police officers are already working there, and the Danes will join them in a few weeks.
Swedish gang members are hired by Danish gangs to carry out brutal attacks on rivals. Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said there have been 25 such cases since April alone.
He called them “child soldiers” and said Sweden had a “sick” culture of violence that Denmark did not want to see.
