Norwegian man held in Taiwan after alleged drug smuggling under Swedish gang coercion

A 30-year-old man from Namdalen, Norway, has spent nearly six months in pretrial detention at Taoyuan Detention Center in Taiwan, accused of drug smuggling after Norwegian police concluded he was coerced by a Swedish criminal network, Dagbladet reports.

The man’s family in Namsos told the newspaper they live in fear of reprisals from the gang, which they believe forced him into transporting narcotics. Norwegian prosecutors have classified him as a victim of human trafficking in the case.

“He has victim status in a human trafficking investigation,” confirmed Charlotte-Renée Ulstad, a prosecutor with Trøndelag police district.

The family described months of desperation after the man—who has struggled with mental health issues and substance use—became entangled with a Swedish national linked to organized crime. Last autumn, after suffering a violent assault in his home that required hospital treatment, he abruptly traveled to Thailand under threats against his family.

“We begged him not to go,” his mother said. “He told us, ‘I’m doing this for you. I have no choice.’”

Taiwanese authorities detained him shortly after his arrival. His passport was confiscated upon landing in Bangkok, according to the family.

Norwegian police suspect the Swedish network paid for his travel and demanded he smuggle drugs to settle a debt. The man’s sister recalled his frantic attempts to secure a loan before leaving: “He was terrified, lying in his hospital bed, trying to borrow 70,000 kroner. He wouldn’t say why.”

The family said they chose to speak publicly to warn others about the risks of criminal exploitation. “It’s unbearable,” his mother said. “We just hope no one else ends up in this situation.”