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Friday, January 24, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-prisoners-could-be-sent-to-estonia/

Sweden

Swedish prisoners could be sent to Estonia

organized crime

Published 1 December 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Gunnar Strömmer confirms that the issue has been discussed with Estonian colleagues.
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The Estonian government is currently looking into the possibility of renting prison places in Estonia – and if such a solution becomes a reality, it is expected to mean major savings for the Swedish state.

Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) confirmed that he discussed the possibility with Estonian ministers on Friday but added that “the issue is still at an early stage”.

In Sweden, there has been a shortage of prison places for some time and it is also very expensive to detain prisoners in Swedish institutions.

– We discussed several issues, including Nordic-Baltic cooperation on internal security, support for Ukraine and the question of Estonia’s possible intention to rent out prison places, Strömmer told state broadcaster SVT.

Renting prison places abroad is seen as “one of several possible measures to relieve the pressure in the Prison and Probation Service”.

– An inquiry is therefore currently tasked with reviewing the conditions and drafting agreements with one or more countries. There are ongoing contacts between Sweden and Estonia regarding this, but the issue is still at an early stage.

In Estonia, the cells are empty

In Estonia, the situation is almost the opposite of that in Sweden – there is instead a problem with the fact that a large proportion of the country’s cells are currently empty.

– Estonia has been very successful in the fight against crime, which has led to a unique situation where about half of our prison places are empty, says Minister of Justice Liisa-Ly Pakosta to the tabloid Aftonbladet.

– Renting out prison places is one of several possible solutions, she continues.

It can also be noted that there is a lot of money to be saved by keeping a prisoner in Estonia instead of in Sweden. The daily cost of an Estonian prisoner is currently around SEK 1,100 (€95) per day, compared to SEK 3,773 (€327) per day for the average Swedish prisoner, according to data from the Swedish Prison and Probation Service.

– In Estonia, the work in our prisons is very modern, and we have both state-of-the-art and very secure facilities, Pakosta emphasizes.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-police-300-shootings-last-year/

Sweden

Swedish police: 300 shootings last year

organized crime

Published 21 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The police see a clear decrease in firearms-related violence.
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According to a report by the Swedish Police Authority, firearm violence in Sweden decreased in 2024 for the second consecutive year. Last year, 296 confirmed shootings took place – which is almost 20% lower than in 2023.

– Our assessment is that the decrease is due to our increased ability to prevent and avert acts of violence, says Johan Olsson, head of the police’s national operations department, Noa.

However, he stresses that “the level of conflict and demand for violence” remains high and that gangs continue to try to use digital environments to recruit new members and people who can commit acts of violence.

According to the police, they have become better at apprehending suspected killers quickly and the number of identified suspects per shooting has also increased.

– This means that today we achieve broader prosecutions and can target more of those involved than before, Olsson continues.

The police authority states that over the past two years, it has developed the ability to collect and analyze information, both in terms of hunting down perpetrators and the actual investigative work afterwards. In addition, it is claimed that the ability to bring together information available in local police areas, criminal investigation of serious crimes, intelligence and international activities has been strengthened.

Relatives still “legitimate” targets

Last year, 44 people were killed in firearm violence compared to 54 in 2023 – while 66 were injured. There has also been a slight decrease in the number of relatives and innocent people injured or killed in shootings and explosions.

– Our view is that the approach that emerged in 2023, where family members are seen as legitimate targets, unfortunately persists, notes Johan Olsson.

The police also note that the suspected perpetrators are getting younger and that the proportion of suspects under 18 has more than doubled since 2019.

Last year, a quarter of all suspected shooters were minors and some of them were also under 15 years old. For fatal shootings in 2024, around a third of the suspects were under 18 and a dozen were under 15.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/culture/james-okeefe-returns-with-a-new-documentary/

Culture

James O’Keefe returns with a new documentary

organized crime

Published 10 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
“Line in the Sand” claims to "expose the forces behind the Mexican-American migrant industrial chaos".
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Investigative journalist James O’Keefe is back with a new documentary entitled Line in the Sand. This time, O’Keefe goes to the front lines of the migrant industrial complex, using hidden cameras and raw testimony.

In Line in the Sand, O’Keefe reveals the shocking reality behind the US border crisis like never before: Mexican freight trains, cartel tunnels and US-funded detention camps for children. The film depicts a corrupt system with a clear message of demand for change.

In the documentary, James O’Keefe and his team travel south to investigate how secure the existing part of the border wall actually is. The film also seeks to draw attention to the actors who benefit from the migration chaos on the Mexican-US border.

It includes interviews with several migrants who share their stories and destinations, highlighting the dangers they face on their journey. From falling off moving trains, to the risk of children going missing along the way.

Positive reviews

The documentary also shows how parts of the border wall under the Biden administration were cut up, highlighting the inadequacy of border protection.

James O’Keefe uses hidden cameras to reveal the financial interests driving the border crisis, including how US tax dollars are funding the transportation and housing of migrants.

Line in the Sand has received generally positive reviews, but also some criticism for what critics say is its focus on O’Keefe himself. Those who praise the film describe it in terms such as “a necessary and poignant documentary that sheds light on an ongoing crisis”.

 

Known for his previous role in Project Veritas, O’Keefe’s Line in the Sand once again challenges the established media with its revelations, using a storytelling technique that combines investigative journalism with powerful visual narratives.

For more information and to watch the documentary, visit Tucker Carlson’s official website.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/swedish-gang-criminals-take-over-norway/

The Nordics

“Swedish” gang criminals take over Norway

organized crime

Published 29 December 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Gang criminals from Sweden are causing major problems in its western neighbor.
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Over the past two years, several criminal immigrant gangs based in Sweden have established themselves across most of Norway.

At the same time, people with Swedish citizenship are increasingly being hired to commit murder and other serious crimes in the neighboring country for payment.

The widely publicized “Kurdiska Rävens” Foxtrot network is now described as the dominant crime syndicate in Norway, but other criminal groups such as Dalennätverket, Lejonen and Satudarah Assassins are also found in several Norwegian cities.

According to an investigation carried out by Svenska Dagbladet and Aftonposten, the drug market in Norway is described as relatively “unexploited” and the street price of drugs is significantly higher than in Sweden.

In Stockholm, for example, a gram of cocaine costs €70 – compared to €105 in Oslo – while many serious criminals are said to be looking to the neighboring country in the west because they are tired of the recurring gang wars in Sweden.

The police also believe that the criminal groups from Sweden are better organized and have a higher level of violent capital than their Norwegian counterparts, and that they have therefore been able to displace them with relative ease and “take over” the market.

– It’s not like in Denmark or Finland, where they’ve faced resistance. It seems they’ve just been able to take what they want. The Swedes come with a hell of a reputation as ruthless, says an anonymous Swedish police officer.

Infiltrated group chats

Furthermore, it can be seen how serious criminals with Swedish citizenship are increasingly being hired to commit murder and other serious violent crimes for payment in Norway.

– Experience from Sweden is that there are almost continuous bidding rounds to commit serious violent crimes. This is a phenomenon we are now also seeing to some extent in Norway, says Olav Røisli of the Norwegian police authority Kripos.

Swedish and Norwegian police are reported to have prevented several serious acts of violence after they managed to infiltrate an encrypted group chat and were subsequently able to arrest five people who thought they were chatting with a contract killer from Sweden.

When the men arrived at the agreed meeting point with NOK 10 000 (€850) in an envelope, they were instead arrested by police and subsequently charged with preparation for murder.

The vast majority of known members of the targeted crime syndicates have immigrant backgrounds, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, but despite this, the establishment media consistently choose to describe them as “Swedish gangs”.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/thousands-of-finnish-companies-linked-to-organized-crime/

Finland

Thousands of Finnish companies linked to organized crime

organized crime

Published 11 December 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Criminal gangs in Finland are often linked to the construction industry, according to a report.
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Around 2,000 companies in Finland have links to organized crime, according to a new report. Each year, these links are estimated to cost society around €40 billion in lost tax revenue.

The report is based on a 2022 study by the Unit for Investigations into the Grey Economy (HTSY), which shows that organized crime has become increasingly common among Finnish companies.

– Organized crime has a strong position in the Finnish business community. Companies with links to organized crime are also involved in the shadow economy and are not fulfilling their obligations to the authorities. This is why we need to take a serious approach to the phenomenon and its prevention, says Janne Marttinen, Director of the Grey Economy Investigation Unit, in a press release.

Used for money laundering

Almost 1,900 companies in Finland have links to organized crime, and 95% of them are Finnish citizens. Criminal groups use companies to carry out fraud, money laundering or other financial crimes.

According to the report, organized crime occurs in almost all industries, but is particularly common in smaller businesses, such as construction and real estate. Companies with links to crime are often less compliant with their tax obligations than other companies.

In its report, HTSY estimates that Finland loses around €40 million in tax revenue annually due to business activities linked to organized crime. In Sweden, by comparison, organized crime causes an estimated €9 billion in damage to business each year, according to the unit.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com