Loophole in Austria supplies gangs with Glock

Glock pistols, long identified as a favorite weapon among gangs, are increasingly used in murders and attempted murders in Sweden. A loophole in Austrian legislation is said to be decisive. We have a situation that is not reasonable, says Jesper Liedholm at Customs.

» Updated: October 05 2024

» Published: June 01 2024

Loophole in Austria supplies gangs with Glock
Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

Glock pistols, long identified as a favorite weapon among gangs, are being used more frequently in murders and attempted murders in Sweden. A loophole in Austrian legislation is said to be decisive.

A young man who had just gotten into a car in the Dalhem district of Helsingborg is shot dead with multiple shots early on the morning of August 22, 2023. Shortly afterwards, a 16-year-old boy is arrested nearby with the murder weapon.

The gun is of the Austrian brand Glock – a pistol used by both Swedish police and military, but also sought after in gang circles and repeatedly described in texts by rappers linked to criminal networks.

It turns out that only the barrel of the 16-year-old's pistol is an authentic Glock. The pipe and casing have been manufactured elsewhere and then assembled onto the gun to create a complete weapon.

These pistols have been appearing more frequently in Swedish crime investigations in recent years.

The number of seized Glocks has nearly doubled over the past five years, from around 40 to 80. Even murders, attempted murders, and murder preparations with "traces" of Glock have increased significantly, from 20 in 2019 to around 55 in the past two years.

It's not mainly about weapons leaking from the legal market. The analysis shows that over half of the Glocks, possibly as many as 70 percent, can be traced back to a peculiarity in Austrian legislation.

As the only EU country, Austria allows the sale of pistol barrels without a license, which may contravene EU's firearms directive. The legislation means that anyone who can complete the barrel with a pipe and casing, for example through illegal manufacturing, can produce fully functional pistols.

Since production is believed to take place within the union, it is relatively easy to smuggle them to countries like Sweden.

Not even when Austrian police cracked down on a massive illegal weapons factory last year, where hundreds of barrel sets for pistols and machine guns and around 150 complete weapons were found, was there debate about the legislation.

So it's important to show how the weapons are used, for example in Sweden, says Liedholm and points to examples such as the Helsingborg murder.

Seized Glock pistols in Sweden over the past five years:

2019: 41. 2020: 50. 2021: 19. 2022: 80. 2023: 76

Total number of shootings leaving Glock traces, for example on the cartridge:

2019: 30. 2020: 22. 2021: 54. 2022: 91. 2023: 76

Source: National Forensic Centre, NFC

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Carbon Monoxide Blamed for Kebnekaise
1 MIN READ

Carbon Monoxide Blamed for Kebnekaise Deaths, No Crime Suspected

Two Sentenced for Unexploded Grenade
1 MIN READ

Two Sentenced for Unexploded Grenade Attack on Malmö Restaurant

Simona Mohamsson Named New Party
2 MIN READ

Simona Mohamsson Named New Party Secretary for The Liberals

Record Number of Swedes Register
1 MIN READ

Record Number of Swedes Register for University Entrance Exam

Shots Fired at House in
1 MIN READ

Shots Fired at House in Hudiksvall, Police Investigate Attempted Murder

Teen Girl Stabbed on Bus
1 MIN READ

Teen Girl Stabbed on Bus in Eslöv; Four Teens Detained

Demirok Steps Down as Center
1 MIN READ

Demirok Steps Down as Center Party Leader Citing Internal Leaks

Swedish Care Worker Jailed for
1 MIN READ

Swedish Care Worker Jailed for Defrauding Elderly of Millions

Ancient Greek Harbor Unveiled Beneath
3 MIN READ

Ancient Greek Harbor Unveiled Beneath Waters in Asine Discovery

Suspected Murder in Hässleholm: One
1 MIN READ

Suspected Murder in Hässleholm: One Person Detained

Teenage Girl Stabbed on Bus
1 MIN READ

Teenage Girl Stabbed on Bus in Eslöv; Four Teens Arrested

Ex-Regional Official in Sweden Faces
1 MIN READ

Ex-Regional Official in Sweden Faces Charges in Pension Fund Bribery Case

Shingles Vaccine Linked to Lower
2 MIN READ

Shingles Vaccine Linked to Lower Dementia Risk in Older Adults

Critics Challenge Proposal to End
3 MIN READ

Critics Challenge Proposal to End Summer Grazing for Swedish Dairy Cows

Sweden Proposes Transparency for Lottery
1 MIN READ

Sweden Proposes Transparency for Lottery Purchases Supporting Parties

Elderly Man's Death in Gullspång
1 MIN READ

Elderly Man's Death in Gullspång Fire Investigated as Suspected Murder

Sweden Tightens Control on Opioids
1 MIN READ

Sweden Tightens Control on Opioids and Hazardous Substances

Sweden Braces for Economic Impact
2 MIN READ

Sweden Braces for Economic Impact from US Tariffs, Government Warns

Swedish Man Faces Arson Charges
1 MIN READ

Swedish Man Faces Arson Charges for House Fire in Norway

Man Charged in Fatal Lund
1 MIN READ

Man Charged in Fatal Lund Knife Attack Linked to Drug Deal

Electric Scooter Accidents Surge by
1 MIN READ

Electric Scooter Accidents Surge by 30 Percent in 2024, Young Riders Most Affected

Skåne Manager Faces Charges for
1 MIN READ

Skåne Manager Faces Charges for Embezzling Millions from Municipalities

Teen Faces Court in Sweden
2 MIN READ

Teen Faces Court in Sweden for Alleged Sect-Linked Knife Attack

Elderly Man Critically Injured in
1 MIN READ

Elderly Man Critically Injured in Kävlinge Villa Fire

Somalia Expels Swedish Aid Chief
1 MIN READ

Somalia Expels Swedish Aid Chief Anna Saleem Högberg

Sweden Proposes Tighter Security at
2 MIN READ

Sweden Proposes Tighter Security at Migration Detention Centers

Swedish Foreign Minister to Discuss
2 MIN READ

Swedish Foreign Minister to Discuss Journalist's Detention with Turkey

Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm to
1 MIN READ

Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm to Close Following Riksdag Decision

Sweden's Malmer Stenergard to Discuss
2 MIN READ

Sweden's Malmer Stenergard to Discuss Journalist's Detention with Turkey

Parents in Sweden Jailed for
1 MIN READ

Parents in Sweden Jailed for Locking Children in Basement

75-Year-Old Woman Cleared of Murder
1 MIN READ

75-Year-Old Woman Cleared of Murder Charges in Ale

Bribery Convictions in Sweden See
1 MIN READ

Bribery Convictions in Sweden See Rise in Gross Offenses

Suspect Detained in Norrköping Murder
1 MIN READ

Suspect Detained in Norrköping Murder Investigation

Sabotage Cuts Power to 500
1 MIN READ

Sabotage Cuts Power to 500 Homes in Småland, Police Investigate

Twelve Indicted in Major Scania
1 MIN READ

Twelve Indicted in Major Scania Drug Network Bust

Sun-Seeking App Trend Raises Skin
2 MIN READ

Sun-Seeking App Trend Raises Skin Cancer Concerns in Sweden

Sweden Braces for Year's Warmest
1 MIN READ

Sweden Braces for Year's Warmest Day Before Cold Snap Hits

Online Sect's Influence on Teen
4 MIN READ

Online Sect's Influence on Teen Knife Attacks Faces Court Scrutiny

Swedish Man Sentenced to 10
1 MIN READ

Swedish Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Long-Term Abuse of Relative

Man Critically Injured in Sollefteå
1 MIN READ

Man Critically Injured in Sollefteå Workplace Accident