Sweden's Hidden Gang Crisis: How Did It Happen?

Watch the Episode

Video originally published on November 22, 2023.

In the heart of Scandinavia, a dark shadow looms over Sweden's once-peaceful streets. The idyllic image of a nation known for its progressive policies and low crime rates has been shattered by a surge in gang violence, turning cities like Stockholm and Malmo into battlegrounds. This is not the Sweden of ABBA and IKEA, but a country grappling with grenade attacks, firearm homicides, and a youth culture increasingly drawn into the sinister allure of organized crime. What forces have conspired to push this nation to the brink, and who are the key players in this unfolding drama? The stakes are high: the future of Sweden's social cohesion and community trust hangs in the balance. To understand how this hidden gang crisis emerged, we must peel back the layers of Sweden's misunderstood past, examine the evolution of organized crime, and confront the consequences of immigration policies that have reshaped the demographic landscape of crime. Only then can we begin to envision a path forward, breaking the cycle of violence and restoring peace to a nation in turmoil.

Key Takeaways

Sweden's gang violence surge has transformed cities like Stockholm and Malmo into battlegrounds, challenging the nation's reputation for low crime rates.
The Hells Angels and Bandidos established chapters in Sweden during the 1990s, initially through motorcycle racing and social events, but later shifted to criminal activities.
Breaking the EncroChat encryption in 2020 led to the arrest of 400 criminals in Sweden, including key gang leaders, but also created a power vacuum filled by younger, more violent gang members.
Approximately 1,200 individuals, dubbed 'child soldiers,' are actively involved in gang violence in Sweden, with the majority of arrests for gang-related offenses involving minors aged 13 to 15.
Sweden's police forces are underfunded and undermanned, with only two police officers per 1,000 residents as of 2020, despite a recent hiring spree aiming to add 6,000 new officers by 2024.
Gang leader Rawa Majid, known as the Kurdish Fox, was arrested in 2023 while crossing the border from Turkey into Iran, directing criminal activities in Sweden from abroad.

Sweden's Idyllic Facade: A Nation's Misunderstood Past

Sweden’s Gang Wars: How Did Things Get So Bad? (Author: Morris M.) Just a few short years ago, the word “Sweden” brought to mind positive stereotypes. Stuff like flatpack furniture, ABBA, and enlightened social democracy. From afar, the country seemed a quiet paradise. The sort of place where crime was low, and people really might keep their doors unlocked at night. Of course, the reality was always more complicated than that. Biker gangs and far-right thugs were active, and the police were so laid back they once failed to solve the assassination of their own prime minister. By and large, though, Sweden was seen as calm, and safe. But note the key word in that sentence: “was”. Because today, the word “Sweden” brings to mind not positive connotations, but relentlessly grim ones. Stuff like firearm homicides, grenade attacks, and staggering levels of gang violence. Stuff like 13-year-old killers, and houses destroyed in bomb blasts. Stuff that, in 2023, is threatening to tear this once-placid nation apart. With gang warfare so out of control that the military has been called in, now feels like a good time to ask how this happened. How did the land of IKEA and meatballs become Europe’s gun-murder capital? And - more-importantly - can things ever go back to how they were before? (TITLE): Exit Wounds The first thing to note when talking about gun and gang violence in Sweden, is that it’s still far below American levels. If you’re watching this from a typical big US city, just know you are way more likely to get shot dead within a few miles of home than you are visiting Stockholm or Gothenburg. That being said, by European standards, Sweden’s firearm crime rate is crazy high. Across 2022, this Nordic country of 10.4 million recorded 391 shootings, resulting in over 60 deaths. Per capita, that ranks Sweden as the joint-worst EU nation for firearm murders, alongside Croatia. But it’s only when you start to compare Sweden and its cities to peer nations that it becomes clear just how bad things really are. In the same year that over 60 people died in Sweden from gunshot wounds, the combined total for Norway, Finland, and Denmark was just ten. In the capital of Stockholm, the per-capita gun-murder rate is almost 30 times higher than that of London. As the Economist wrote, summing up the findings of a 2018 study: “A man aged 15 to 29 in Sweden is ten times more likely to get shot than in Germany.” Again, if you’re watching this while sat in a large US city, or certain nations in Latin America, you might now be thinking something along the lines of: “Pfft, only sixty gun-murders in one year? C’mon.” The difference is that gun homicides are relatively rare across the whole EU, and used to be almost unthinkable in Sweden. In 2003, the nation had one of the world’s lowest gun-murder rates. As recently as 2012, it could be listed as one of the planet’s ten safest countries.

The Evolution of Organized Crime in Sweden

To understand the contemporary gang crisis in Sweden, it is essential to examine the evolution of organized crime in the country. The roots of this problem stretch back several decades, with the emergence of biker gangs and far-right groups playing pivotal roles in shaping the current landscape. The 1990s saw the rise of biker gangs, with the Hells Angels and Bandidos establishing chapters in Sweden. These groups initially gained prominence through their involvement in motorcycle racing and social events, but their activities soon shifted towards more sinister pursuits. The Hells Angels, founded in the United States in 1948, opened their first Swedish chapter in Malmö in 1993. The Bandidos, founded in Texas in 1966, followed suit in 1998, setting up their first chapter in Malmö as well. Both gangs quickly expanded, establishing chapters in major cities across Sweden, including Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Uppsala. The rivalry between the Hells Angels and Bandidos escalated into violent turf wars, with shootings and bombings becoming commonplace. The conflict reached a boiling point in the early 2000s, with a series of high-profile incidents drawing national attention. In 2001, a bomb exploded at a Hells Angels clubhouse in Stockholm, injuring several members. The following year, a Bandidos member was shot dead in Malmö, further fueling the violence. These incidents highlighted the growing influence of organized crime in Sweden and the need for law enforcement to adapt to the changing landscape. In addition to biker gangs, far-right groups have also played a significant role in the evolution of organized crime in Sweden. Groups such as the Nordic Resistance Movement (Nordiska motståndsrörelsen) and the Swedish Resistance Movement (Svenska motståndsrörelsen) have gained prominence in recent years, capitalizing on the rise of nationalist sentiments across Europe. These groups have been linked to various criminal activities, including extortion, arson, and violent attacks on political opponents and minorities. The Nordic Resistance Movement, founded in 2016, has been particularly active in recruiting young members and conducting paramilitary training. Their presence has added another layer of complexity to Sweden's organized crime landscape, as law enforcement agencies struggle to combat both traditional criminal organizations and ideologically motivated extremist groups. The convergence of biker gangs and far-right groups has created a volatile mix, with both types of organizations often overlapping in their criminal activities and recruitment tactics. This has made it increasingly difficult for authorities to distinguish between traditional organized crime and extremist violence, further complicating efforts to address the gang crisis. The situation has been exacerbated by the ease with which weapons can be smuggled into the country, with Sweden's extensive coastline providing ample opportunities for illicit arms trafficking. According to police estimates, Stockholm alone contains over 3,000 illegal guns, many of which originate from the Balkans, where weapons left over from the 1990s' conflicts are readily available. This influx of firearms has fueled the violence, making it easier for gangs to settle disputes and assert their dominance through force. The consequences of this evolution in organized crime have been profound. Sweden has seen a dramatic increase in gun violence and homicides, with September 2023 marking the worst month for homicides in four years. The situation has reached such a critical point that Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson made a rare televised address, acknowledging that Sweden is facing an unprecedented security crisis. The government's decision to call in the Army to assist in combating the violence underscores the severity of the problem and the desperate need for effective solutions. Understanding the historical context and the various factors that have contributed to the rise of organized crime in Sweden is crucial for developing strategies to address the current crisis and prevent it from escalating further.

Immigration Policies and the Changing Demographics of Crime

At the time, it felt like a massive win for law enforcement. A killer blow that had chopped the head off countless crime families. It’s only in retrospect that breaking EncroChat’s codes came to seem like a dangerous mistake. Speaking to the Independent, Swedish journalist Diamant Salihu described how (quote): “The arrests led to chaos, where very young gang members are now fighting for dominance of the lucrative drugs market.” One of the key words in that sentence is “young”. With the old generation of crime bosses gone, Sweden seems to have become a playground for children acting out their gangster fantasies. The only difference being, that these games have deadly consequences. A 2021 Swedish police report into young gang members found “a low threshold for lethal violence,” as well as (quote): “Lack of respect for human life (and) the indifference to the risk of harm to third parties.” You can see how this translates into real-world harm just by looking at some of the recent stories to come out of the country. In 2023, a 13-year-old was shot in the head - execution style - in a Stockholm suburb. Back in 2020, two teenagers were tortured and raped in a cemetery as a form of punishment. Often, these brutal crimes aren’t even committed for money or control of lucrative drug routes. They’re more-linked to teenage obsessions: issues of respect, or of showing dominance. It didn’t use to be like this. While Sweden has always had gangs, they tended to be structured more like traditional cartels: biker gangs, or crime empires linked to the Middle East, with strict hierarchies and bosses controlling everything. This is the model you’ll still find in other European countries, like Germany, the Netherlands, or Belgium. To be clear, it’s not a model we want to romanticize. Belgium is going through its own crisis of gang violence, linked to transnational cocaine cartels. And anyone who thinks such cartels can’t be brutal has obviously never watched Narcos. In the Swedish context, though, the old bosses at least tried to avoid civilian casualties, knowing it would harm business. The young new upstarts, by contrast, have developed a habit of trying to kill family members of anyone they have beef with. This has led to multiple innocent people being shot or blown up in cases of mistaken identity; a cycle of violence fueled by having so many small gangs competing for finite resources. Police in Stockholm alone have counted 52 such organizations. Police chief and head of intelligence for the greater Stockholm area, Jale Poljarevius, has even gone on record saying the current crisis is more like low-intensity warfare than a crime problem. A perception undoubtedly fueled by the authorities’ failings. The Economist reports that only around 20 percent of Sweden’s gang-related murders are ever solved. Nor are the police often able to react in real time. Back in 2020, Gothenburg was paralyzed by a gang war so intense, it saw rival organizations setting up roadblocks and ambushes to capture their enemies. Although the police intervened to dismantle the roadblocks, they didn’t arrest anyone. The violence only ended when the gangs themselves agreed a truce.

The Rise of Gang Culture: Youth, Integration, and Social Exclusion

The demographic profile of Sweden's gang crisis is stark and deeply concerning. Approximately 1,200 individuals, dubbed "child soldiers," are actively involved in gang violence, with the majority of arrests for gang-related offenses involving minors. These young individuals, often between the ages of 13 and 15, are not merely peripheral figures but central actors in Sweden's escalating gang wars. The legal framework in Sweden exacerbates this issue. The age of criminal responsibility is set at 15, meaning that individuals below this age cannot be sentenced for their crimes. This policy, coupled with recent legislative changes, has created a environment where juvenile offenders face minimal consequences. For instance, a 16-year-old who fatally shot an innocent bystander in a Stockholm gym was sentenced to less than three years in a youth care home. This leniency stands in stark contrast to neighboring countries like Denmark, where similar crimes committed by Swedish gang members resulted in 20-year prison sentences. The incentives for gangs to recruit young members are clear. Younger individuals are less likely to be scrutinized by authorities and can carry out illegal activities with greater impunity. The Swedish justice system's reluctance to impose harsh penalties on minors has made it easier for gangs to exploit children. Former chief prosecutor Lise Tamm critiqued this approach, stating, "We protect the integrity of criminals and ignore the victims." This critique highlights the systemic issues within Sweden's legal framework, which has historically prioritized the rehabilitation of young offenders over the protection of society at large. The root causes of this crisis are multifaceted but deeply intertwined with issues of social exclusion and integration. Immigrant-background youth, often residing in marginalized communities, face significant barriers to social mobility. These communities, characterized by high unemployment and limited educational opportunities, become breeding grounds for gang recruitment. The lack of integration and the pervasive sense of exclusion drive many young individuals into the arms of criminal organizations, which offer a sense of belonging and economic stability. This dynamic is further complicated by the demographic shifts in Sweden, where a significant portion of the population has immigrant backgrounds. According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2023, approximately 25% of the population is foreign-born or has at least one foreign-born parent. This demographic reality underscores the urgency of addressing the social and economic disparities that fuel gang involvement. The failure to integrate immigrant communities effectively has created a vacuum that gangs have swiftly filled. In areas like Malmö, Rosengård, and Tensta, gang activity is rampant, and the sense of community is often overshadowed by fear and mistrust. The Swedish government's efforts to promote integration have been piecemeal and often ineffective, leaving many immigrant youth feeling disconnected from mainstream society. This sense of alienation is exacerbated by the media's portrayal of immigrant communities, which often reinforces negative stereotypes and perpetuates a cycle of exclusion. The lack of positive role models and the prevalence of criminal influences further push young individuals towards gang involvement. The situation is compounded by the fact that many immigrant families face language barriers and cultural differences that hinder their ability to navigate the Swedish social and economic landscape. These challenges create a perfect storm for gang recruitment, as young individuals seek solace and identity in the structured, albeit illegal, environments offered by criminal organizations. The Swedish government's approach to addressing the gang crisis has been criticized for being overly focused on rehabilitation rather than deterrence. The emphasis on protecting the rights of young offenders has inadvertently empowered gangs, who exploit the legal loopholes to continue their activities with impunity. The need for a balanced approach that combines rehabilitation with stringent legal measures is paramount. This includes raising the age of criminal responsibility, imposing harsher penalties for serious offenses, and enhancing law enforcement capabilities to disrupt gang activities. Additionally, investing in community development and integration programs is crucial. These initiatives should focus on providing educational opportunities, vocational training, and economic support to marginalized communities. By addressing the root causes of social exclusion and offering viable alternatives to gang involvement, Sweden can begin to tackle its hidden gang crisis effectively.

Escalating Violence: The Intersection of Gangs, Drugs, and Turf Wars

Despite a 75-percent increase in budget in recent years, Sweden’s police forces are still comparatively underfunded and undermanned. As recently as 2020, the country could boast only two police officers per 1,000 residents, compared to three in Germany. Within the EU, only Denmark, Finland, and Latvia have fewer police officers per capita. Admittedly, these figures are now slightly out of date. Sweden has been on a police hiring spree not yet visible in Eurostat data, with a goal of adding 6,000 new frontline officers by 2024. But even this increase is below where police chiefs want it to be. The chief of the Gothenburg police had asked for 10,000 more cops to be added. So, yeah. It’s fair to say that the entire legal apparatus in Sweden is facing challenges. Challenges that have helped fuel the escalating crisis. Even so, we still haven’t answered our title question: how did things get so bad? To do that, we’ll have to turn our attention to another key ingredient in the nation’s combustible mix. An ingredient that many Swedes find too controversial to even talk about: a failed set of immigration policies. (TITLE): Parallel Worlds The trouble with discussing immigration and crime is that it can effectively sweep away all nuance. Reducing what is an extremely-complex topic into just another front in the never-ending culture wars. However, it’s also a topic we need to at least try to broach. According to the Economist, some fifty percent of Sweden’s gang members were born abroad. Even those born in Sweden are highly-likely to have parents who weren’t - 85% of those involved with gangs have what the magazine termed “an immigrant background”. In most cases, that means Iraqi, Somali, Lebanese, Turkish, Syrian, or Balkan heritage. For some on the right, this is as far as the discussion needs to go. Further proof that immigrants are inherently criminal. Yet, to stop here would be to ignore the fact that this is unique to Sweden. As the Telegraph - hardly a bastion of lefty wokeness - has written: “Yes, the 2015 asylum wave saw Sweden import all kinds of criminality among the record numbers of people it took in. But Germany took in even more and doesn’t have such problems.” What, then, is it about the Swedish immigration system that has led to so many young men with foreign backgrounds turning to organized crime? At least a partial answer comes from the last two prime ministers. According to Sweden’s current, center-right leader, Ulf Kristersson (quote): “It is an irresponsible immigration policy and a failed integration that has brought us here.” Before she lost power in 2022, his center-left predecessor, Magdalena Andersson, had meanwhile declared that: “We now have parallel societies in Sweden. We live in the same country, but in completely different realities.” It’s in these two quotes that we can begin to get a sense of the true root problem. An absolute failure to ensure peoples of wildly different cultures had any means or incentive to integrate.

Policing and Policy Responses: Successes, Failures, and Controversies

Sweden's response to its escalating gang crisis has been multifaceted, involving various law enforcement strategies and policy shifts. However, the effectiveness of these measures has been hotly debated, with critics pointing to significant failures and controversies. Central to understanding the scope of the problem is recognizing the deep-seated social and economic issues that have allowed criminal networks to take root and flourish. One of the most glaring issues is Sweden's approach to housing and integration. The country's open-door policy for refugees, while humanitarian, has often left newcomers isolated in segregated suburbs far from urban centers. These areas, such as Husby outside Stockholm, are characterized by high unemployment, underperforming schools, and a lack of Swedish language proficiency. Husby, for instance, has an 80% immigrant population, primarily from Iraq, Somalia, Syria, and Turkey, and is classified as one of Sweden's 22 "extremely vulnerable areas." The government's classification highlights the dire conditions but does little to address the root causes. Swedish crime reporter Diamant Salihu, born in Kosovo, has been vocal about the systemic issues that create a sense of alienation among immigrants. Harsh labor laws make it nearly impossible for newcomers to find legal work, resulting in an unemployment rate of nearly 15% among immigrants, compared to just 4% among native Swedes. This economic disparity, coupled with underfunded schools and the absence of meaningful opportunities, pushes many young people into the arms of gangs. The Swedish police have faced significant challenges in combating gang violence. In 2018, the National Operations Department (Nationella operativa avdelningen, NOA) was established to centralize efforts against organized crime. However, the NOA has been criticized for its lack of tangible results and internal inefficiencies. The police force itself has been strained, with officers often overwhelmed by the scale of the problem. In 2020, Stockholm police reported that they were dealing with over 500 active criminal networks, a staggering number for a city of its size. The sheer volume of cases has led to a backlog in investigations and prosecutions, allowing many criminals to evade justice. Policy responses have been equally contentious. The Swedish government has introduced various initiatives aimed at integration and social inclusion, but these have often been criticized for being too little, too late. In 2019, the Social Democratic Party introduced a plan to invest SEK 500 million (approximately $55 million USD) in vulnerable areas, focusing on education, employment, and community development. However, critics argue that the funds are insufficient and that the government has failed to address the structural issues that perpetuate segregation. Moreover, the conservative Alliance for Sweden has pushed for stricter immigration policies, arguing that reducing the influx of refugees will help alleviate the gang problem. This stance has sparked heated debates, with proponents of humanitarian values accusing the right-wing of scapegoating immigrants. One of the most controversial aspects of Sweden's response has been the use of surveillance and draconian measures. In 2018, the government passed the "Law on Signal Interception," which allows law enforcement to hack into encrypted communications used by criminal organizations. While the law has been praised for its potential to disrupt gang activities, it has also raised concerns about privacy and civil liberties. Critics argue that such measures are a slippery slope towards authoritarianism and that they do little to address the underlying social issues that fuel gang recruitment. In addition to legal and policy measures, Sweden has also seen a rise in community-based initiatives aimed at preventing gang violence. Organizations like the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brottsförebyggande rådet, BRÅ) have worked with local communities to develop programs that provide alternatives to gang life. These programs focus on education, job training, and mentorship, offering young people a path out of crime. However, the success of these initiatives has been mixed, with some communities reporting significant improvements while others continue to struggle. The challenges faced by Swedish law enforcement and policymakers are compounded by the backlash from various segments of society. Critics on the left argue that the government's focus on law enforcement and surveillance is misguided and that more resources should be directed towards social welfare and integration. On the right, there is a growing sentiment that Sweden's open immigration policies are to blame for the gang crisis, leading to calls for stricter border controls and deportations. This polarization has made it difficult to achieve consensus on effective solutions, further complicating Sweden's efforts to address its hidden gang crisis.

Lasting Impact: Social Cohesion, Community Trust, and the Future of Sweden

(TITLE): Next Steps As we were working on this piece, Sweden received some unexpected good news. Gang leader Rawa Majid - known as the Kurdish Fox - was arrested crossing the border from Turkey into Iran. As a resident of Turkey, Majid had spent years directing criminal activity and murders in Sweden from abroad. To say his arrest is a relief is probably something of an understatement. A war between Majid’s Foxtrot gang and another has helped fuel 2023’s surge in violence. Nonetheless, it’s hard to believe - given everything we’ve outlined in this video - that the arrest of one gang boss will bring Sweden back to stability. No. To change the nation’s trajectory will require much deeper fixes. Thankfully, the ruling coalition already has some ideas. The only problem is, no-one is sure if they’re going to work. One of the basic steps the current government is taking is to try and make the criminal justice system tougher. That means stuff like increased sentences for gang crimes, tighter parole conditions, and doubling the minimum penalty for gun crimes. It also means the creation of new youth prisons. As we mentioned earlier, a 16-year-old murderer in Sweden will currently serve less than four years in a youth care home for his crime. With the new bill, 15- to 17-year-olds who commit a serious crime will be sent to something closer to an actual prison, with the first one slated to open in 2026. While that won’t solve the problem of the high age of criminal responsibility, it will at least hopefully create some deterrence. At the same time, the number of prison places for criminals over 18 will be doubled. For victims of teenage gangsters, this step will undoubtedly offer comfort. But it’s not totally clear whether it will work to lower crime rates. Professor in Criminology and department head at Stockholm University, Felipe Estrada, did a long interview with his faculty’s website, where he cautioned that Sweden’s narcotics market is so lucrative that gangs will likely have little trouble finding new recruits to replace those imprisoned. He also expressed reservations about another new tool police will be given: the power of stop and search. Stop and search is a measure whereby police can create a temporary zone, inside of which anyone can be searched without the officers needing to prove they suspect them of a crime. Such powers are already used widely in England and Wales, where they’re extremely controversial, because of the disproportionate way they target minorities. A practice which some argue increases friction between officers and the communities they serve. Still, these powers can also lead to the discovery of weapons or serious drugs - thereby hopefully discouraging criminals from carrying either. The final major new tool Sweden is considering is something known locally as Sluta skjut, which translates as “stop shooting”. However, American audiences are more likely to know it by the name Group Violence Intervention. An American idea pioneered in inner city neighborhoods in places like Chicago and Boston, GVI subjects known gang members to mandatory “call ins”.

Breaking the Cycle: Potential Solutions and the Path Forward

At these sessions, they are confronted by victims of gang crime, and then offered pathways out. If they don’t take the exit ramp, they’re warned that the police will crack down on them remorselessly. In neighborhoods in Boston and Chicago, GVI led to drops in youth homicide of up to between 37 and 63 percent. Nor is it an idea completely alien to Swedish culture. Things got so bad in the city of Malmo that a pilot program was launched in 2018, and later integrated into regular police work. The results seem to speak for themselves. In 2018, Malmo suffered 12 fatal shootings. By 2020, that had reduced to just three. Although it spiked back up to five in 2022, that was still fewer than in 2018 or 2019. According to Radio Sweden, under the program: “The number of shootings and explosions in Malmö has gone down by between 40 - 60 %.” However, there was one major caveat. According to the National Council for Crime Prevention, it’s not certain GVI was solely responsible for this dip in crime. It could be that other factors were at play. Still, these new programs and police powers - a mixture of progressive and conservative approaches - may be the best chance Sweden has at reducing its stratospheric gang crime rate. We can only pray that they work. At the end of this video, then, it’s hopefully clear that Sweden is in an extremely complex place. A place where good intentions and a culture of tolerance have accidentally given rise to a spate of bombings and shootings that leave people feeling unsafe in their own homes. To be clear, we’re not saying the country is some sort of crime-ridden hell hole. The overall crime rate remains about the European average. The US government’s Sweden travel advisory notice doesn’t even mention gang crime - instead focusing on the threat of terrorism inspired by a recent spate of Koran burnings. If you fly to Stockholm tomorrow, your experience will almost certainly be calm and enjoyable. Nonetheless, within the context of its own postwar history, the fact remains that Sweden is experiencing a level of gang violence it has never seen before. A criminal wave that has left ordinary citizens feeling helpless. Whether the nation can find its way back to order and stability, is something that we’ll just have to wait to find out. (Ends).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the no. 1 crime free country in the world?

See the full article for details on Which is the no. 1.

What is the gang problem in Ecuador?

See the full article for details on What is the gang problem.

How might gang members endanger the safety of other students?

See the full article for details on How might gang members endanger.

How can gang violence be solved?

See the full article for details on How can gang violence be.

What can schools do to help prevent gang joining?

See the full article for details on What can schools do to.

Related Coverage

Sources

About the Author

Jackson Reed

Jackson Reed creates and presents analysis focused on military doctrine, strategic competition, and conflict dynamics.

About the Team →