The Police Authority, the Economic Crime Authority, the Public Prosecution Authority, the Swedish Tax Agency, the Swedish Customs Administration and the Swedish Prison and Probation Service are submitting several proposals to the government on how to "make it more difficult for criminals to stay away abroad and at the same time influence crime in Sweden", according to a press release from the police.
"Our belief is that the proposals would make it significantly more difficult for criminals to evade justice," says Stefan Hector, Deputy National Police Commissioner, in the press release.
The proposals are submitted in a government mission on strengthened international work against organized crime.
Among other things, new rules are proposed for detention in absentia, i.e. a decision to detain a suspect in court who has not yet been arrested. Such a decision is required before someone can be internationally wanted – but detention also means that the person who is staying away is informed of the suspicions.
"Therefore, we believe that legislation is needed that allows a detention hearing to take place without the suspect being informed," says Hector.
The report also proposes, among other things, that the Swedish Customs Board be given access to the police's international registers, confidentiality relief for the Swedish Tax Agency that provides access to more information from abroad, and strengthened opportunities to warn of criminals traveling within Schengen.
210 internationally wanted persons have been arrested abroad this year at Swedish request, according to the police.
