Police say Ali Namdar arrest could temporarily reduce Swedish violence

The arrest of Foxtrot leader Ali Namdar could temporarily reduce violence in Sweden, SVT reports. Police assess the 21-year-old as strategically important to the criminal Foxtrot network and one of its most violence-driving figures.

Namdar, who was internationally wanted, was arrested by Moroccan police in Tangier on Wednesday, according to information obtained by SVT News. He has been described as Europe’s most wanted man and is suspected of soliciting attempted murder and a number of other violent crimes in Sweden and Norway.

“He has coordinated and solicited serious crime in Sweden from Morocco,” said Theodor Smedius, an inspector at the police National Operations Centre.

It is difficult to assess how much the arrest will affect the Foxtrot network’s use of violence, Smedius said, but he expects it to decline for a period.

“We know from experience that it has an impact when someone has less capacity for a while. It then depends on how long it takes before someone else replaces him,” he said.

Namdar is wanted in connection with attempted murder and is suspected of soliciting several violent crimes across Sweden. He remains in Morocco, while Swedish authorities begin efforts to bring him to Sweden so that legal proceedings can start, Smedius said.