Youth with ties to gang crime have previously been able to flaunt luxury items financed by criminal gains without the police being able to intervene.
Now that the new forfeiture legislation comes into force, the possibility changes radically.
It has certainly been frustrating for us, but now it will be easier for us to get to people higher up in the criminal networks, but also to young people, says Karin Jensen, the police project leader for the legislation.
We have a good grasp of which young people are in the risk zone. We also know which young people are part of various criminal networks and who move around with luxury items and property that does not match their legal income.
Brake marketing
Magnus Åberg, deputy police chief of Greater Gothenburg, sees the new legislation as an important piece of the puzzle in braking the recruitment of young people and getting to the lifestyle that gang criminals market.
I think it's the root of why so many of these young people, children, are drawn into this.
Previously, the police had to be able to prove a specific crime to be able to seize and subsequently forfeit items linked to economic crime. Now, evidence that shows that the items do not match legal income is sufficient.
In the end, it's up to the court to decide whether the property should be forfeited or not. If you can't explain where you got the money, the property can be forfeited and fall to the state, says Karin Jensen.
"Must be offensive"
The law came into force on November 8 and the same day, the police launched an operation that includes all regions in Sweden.
It's an operation against selected individuals we've had tabs on before. It targets organized crime at all levels, says Karin Jensen.
The law has also been criticized for lack of legal certainty, unclear evidence requirements, and searches and body searches on flimsy grounds.
If we're going to get to the gang economy, we have to be offensive. This law doesn't target honest people. It's not like we're going to stop young people just because they're walking around with a Gucci cap. There have to be several factors that match, says Karin Jensen.
