Sweden and Finland pledged to intensify co-operation in the fight against organised crime in Sweden and its spillover effects, according to Euractiv.
On the occasion of a visit by the Finnish government led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Monday, the two countries proposed to take a further step in combating Swedish organised crime, which extends to neighbouring Finland.
Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer stated:
With joint muscles, we will be able to intervene much more resolutely on both sides of the border than before.
The Swedish government would submit a new bill on police co-operation to parliament on Tuesday, Strömmer added.
In the border areas, Sweden and Finland will be able to work very integrated into our police authorities and also work in each other’s countries to prevent really serious crimes like murder, kidnapping or robbery. We should be able to follow criminals in car chases on the other side of the border and also be able to reinforce each other on both sides in a different way than we can today.
The co-operation is expected to be fully operational from early next year, following approval of the law in both national parliaments. Finland’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Lulu Ranne, said:
There may be something going on in northern Sweden, or there may not be police officers in that particular area on the Swedish side. But if there are Finnish police officers closer, they will be able to prevent crime and stop the worst from happening.
After Denmark and Norway, Swedish gangs also spread to Finland, where their particularly violent methods caused concern to the authorities. Meanwhile, the Finnish government hoped that new police co-operation would stop the gangs.
It will help. It is important for Finland that we can prevent the development that has taken place in Sweden. We also have co-operation with customs and the rescue services. It works well, but it must work better.
In August, Denmark announced the introduction of border controls with Sweden following a spike in Swedish gang violence that spilled over into Denmark. In response to the violence, a Nordic centre of police officers from Finland, Norway, and Denmark will be established in Stockholm. Norwegian and Finnish officers are already participating, with Danish officers joining in a few weeks.
Sweden, with a population of only 10 million, has the highest per capita rate of gun violence in the EU.
