Organized immigrant crime continues to plague Sweden, with some 30 bombings since the start of the year alone. The police now admit that they are not capable of dealing with the wave of violence on their own and are therefore appealing for help from the whole of Swedish society.
– The whole society must be mobilized. Everyone must take responsibility and do even more, said Tobias Bergkvist, deputy regional police chief for Stockholm.
During a press conference on Wednesday, the police emphasized the urgency of the situation and the need to take action to stop the wave of violence.
– We have a very serious situation, not only in Stockholm but also nationally, Bergkvist emphasized.
The bombings are clearly linked to immigrant-dominated criminal networks and crime has become increasingly systematic, with bombings often used as a tool for extortion.
– What we are seeing now is an escalation of violence, but also a change in the problem. The majority of the bombings we have suffered in December and January have rather financial incentives, are strategic acts targeting companies and often for extortion purposes, says Hampus Nygårds, Deputy Head of the National Operations Unit (NOA).
“Criminal ecosystem”
He explains that the purpose of the attacks is to intimidate business owners into paying to stop the threat.
– Money is demanded to stop the violence and threats.
The police describe how a “criminal ecosystem” has emerged, where the recruitment of new perpetrators has now moved to digital platforms. Young people are offered money to commit acts of violence – including murder.
– The scale of this issue is very large, says, says Nygårds.
At the same time, the police warn that more and more children under the age of 15 are being recruited to carry out violent acts for payment.
– The supply of practitioners is, unfortunately, as it stands now, inexhaustible, says Bergkvist.
National crackdown
Despite the fact that the police have arrested 50 people in recent weeks, the authority believes that even more is needed to reverse the trend.
– The police are now mobilizing, especially in Stockholm but also nationally. We are taking measures such as reinforcements from different police regions, Bergkvist explains.
An important part of the strategy is said to be to increase the police’s digital presence and competence and to focus more on identifying and stopping bomb makers before the explosions are carried out, but the police believe that crime prevention work cannot be done by the authorities alone.
The whole of society must contribute to breaking the trend, they say.