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Danish concerns rise over potential spread of Swedish gang violence across the border

Tuesday 16th 2024 on 17:36 in  
Denmark

In recent years, the term “Swedish conditions” has become a derogatory reference in some Danish political circles, particularly in relation to matters of law and order. This is partly due to the grim statistic that over the past two years, 118 people have been killed in Sweden due to gang violence.

Recent arrests in Denmark have raised concerns that the violent Swedish gang conflict may be spreading across the border. Preben Bang Henriksen, a legal spokesperson from the Danish liberal party Venstre, stated that he will seek comments from the Minister of Justice and the national police on the scale of the problem after the summer holiday.

Last week, three Swedish individuals were remanded in custody for possessing firearms. One of them, a 19-year-old man, was charged with possession of a 9mm Glock pistol. The case has links to the “organized criminal environment.” Earlier, two men aged 19 and 31 were arrested at a hotel in Amager, charged with possessing the same type of gun. It has not been confirmed whether there is a link to organized crime in this case.

These cases follow several other arrests of Swedes linked to organized crime, causing concern among Danish politicians. Peter Kofod, legal spokesperson for the Danish People’s Party, expressed deep concern over the situation, stating that Sweden is a country where things have gone off track, with uncontrolled immigration and thousands of gang members.

Previous incidents include an explosion at a jewelry store in Valby, where a 19-year-old Swede was charged with receiving a hand grenade and detonating it as part of a gang conflict. Additionally, two Swedish teenagers aged 15 and 16 were charged with attempted murder, reportedly sent to a clubhouse in Brøndby to carry out a murder.

David Sausdal, a criminologist at Lund University, feels it is unlikely that Swedish criminal groups will permanently settle in Denmark, but did not rule out the possibility, stating there is cause for concern about Swedish gang crime and its cross-border development.