It was on Wednesday that three Swedes were arrested by police in Spanish Alicante through a collaboration between Europol and Swedish, Danish, and Spanish police.
The operation was prompted, according to Sveriges Radio, by the authorities' success in accessing a network forum used to recruit young people to commit serious violent crimes. At least one of the arrested is on Europol's list of high-priority targets, writes Sydsvenskan, citing sources within Europol.
The trio, who have been requested to be extradited to Sweden, were arrested in absentia on Wednesday by Solna District Court.
One of them, a man, is suspected of having had a "leading role" in extensive drug-related crimes. He is also suspected of serious money laundering and preparation for aggravated weapons smuggling of "at least 30 automatic rifles and 20 pistols" to be brought into Sweden.
On Friday, an additional remand hearing was held against the man, who is now also suspected of failure to disclose and prevent crimes.
Father and Son
According to the protocol, the crimes in question are suspected to have been committed by one of the other two arrested in Spain – and that this person is the man's teenage son.
The boy is suspected of several attempted murders, serious weapons offenses, preparation for murder, and serious public endangerment in connection with violent crimes in Copenhagen, Malmö, and Stockholm during the spring and summer of 2024, where very young people were recruited as perpetrators.
He is alleged to have induced others to commit the acts in all cases.
You can say that the person has been involved in recruiting people for these violent crimes, says prosecutor Anna Arnell to Aftonbladet.
She does not want to comment on the boy's age, but according to the documents, he is in his mid-teens.
Strawberries
The boy is also suspected of serious extortion and attempted serious extortion against parents whose sons have incurred alleged debts.
In both cases, the parents have received threatening messages signed with a strawberry, a symbol for the wanted gang leader Ismail "Strawberry" Abdo.
The former Foxtrot top has, according to several Swedish and Danish media, connections to an ongoing gang conflict in Denmark that has led to Swedish "child soldiers" traveling across the sound to commit serious crimes.
The third person arrested in Spain, according to several media a woman, is suspected of serious money laundering.
Three Swedish citizens were arrested on Wednesday in Spain. They were arrested in absentia the same day by Solna District Court. Their identities are subject to secrecy.
Secrecy A (boy under 18 years old): On probable cause suspected of preparation for murder, four cases of attempted murder, four cases of serious weapons offenses, serious public endangerment, serious crimes against the law on fire hazardous and explosive goods, serious extortion, and attempted serious extortion.
Secrecy B (man): On probable cause suspected of aggravated drug-related crimes, preparation for aggravated weapons smuggling, serious money laundering, and failure to disclose and prevent crimes.
Secrecy C (according to several media a woman): On probable cause suspected of serious money laundering.
