Swedish man arrested in Colombia after in absentia detention for drug trafficking

A 30-year-old man from northwest Skåne was arrested by Colombian police on Friday, two days after Malmö District Court detained him in absentia on suspicion of aggravated drug offences and two counts of large-scale drug smuggling, SVT reports.

According to court documents reviewed by SVT, the man is suspected of handling 28 kilograms of cocaine and over 200 kilograms of cannabis, including concealment in cosmetic products, alongside accomplices between September 2024 and February 2025. Prosecutors allege he organised, directed, and oversaw the packaging, transport, storage, and distribution of the drugs.

He is also suspected of smuggling a total of 3 kilograms of cocaine into Malmö on two occasions between July and September 2025, intended for sale or transfer.

Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reports the man coordinated cocaine shipments to Europe and the United Arab Emirates, with the drugs hidden in cosmetics. Swedish Customs press spokesperson Martin Norell called the arrest significant, stating it targeted one of their top suspects in drug smuggling.

Prosecutor Linda Jeppsson Linderström told SVT the man will be sought for extradition to Sweden, though the timeline remains uncertain. Extradition processes can take weeks or even years, she said.

The man’s stance on the allegations is unknown. His defence lawyer stated during the detention hearing that they had not been in contact with the client but assumed he would deny the charges and oppose the prosecution’s request for detention.