According to Aftonbladet, which first reported on the operation, a police helicopter is hovering over the area. In addition to the police, the Swedish Work Environment Authority and the Swedish Tax Agency are also present.
"All of this has its background in the large industrial investment that is taking place in the north. We know that there are both opportunities and risks with large amounts of money being invested in a short time," says Maria Fredriksson at the police.
According to Fredriksson, the subject of the operation is a number of construction companies that are carrying out work at the site, where Stegra is building a steel mill. She cannot say whether anyone has been arrested or whether there are any suspicions of a crime.
All authorities check for different things, but broadly speaking it is about preventing crimes and violations of regulations.
People are checked
According to Aftonbladet's reporter on site, several people are being checked by police. The operation is led by the border police in the North region, according to the newspaper.
Stegra confirms through press manager Karin Hallstan that an unannounced operation is underway.
We have visits from authorities today, large companies get it, she tells TT.
You have to understand that it is not unusual at construction sites, we have 3,500 workers and it is clear that the authorities will do their checks, she continues.
It is still unclear how long the operation itself will last.
Pressured company
The steel manufacturer Stegra, previously known as H2 Green Steel, was founded in 2020 with the goal of producing what is usually called "green steel", that is, based on fossil-free production methods.
Recently, attention has been focused primarily on the company's financing problems.
Stegra recently announced that an additional SEK 10 billion is needed – on top of the 70 billion already invested – to cover, among other things, investments in the port of Luleå and new railway tracks at the factory area in Boden.
Among the major owners in Stegra are a number of companies with connections to businessman Harald Mix, the Wallenberg Circle's holding company FAM, and former US Vice President Al Gore's climate investment fund Just Climate.
Two state AP funds have also invested money in the project.
