Sweden vows to crack down on criminal networks

As many as 30,000 people in Sweden are involved in criminal networks, Swedish Justice Minister, Gunnar Strommer said Thursday, describing the figure as “breathtaking” and vowing to introduce new legislation to fight organized crime.
Strommer said, “Lethal firearm violence has increased dramatically and Sweden is in an extraordinarily serious situation,” who added that an official investigation set to begin later this year would look into ways to convict more criminals. The probe should be completed by September 2024, he said.
Criminal gangs have become a growing problem in Sweden, a country of 10 million that has experienced an increase in drive-by shootings, bombings and grenade attacks. Most of the violence occurs in Sweden’s three largest cities: Stockholm, Goteborg and Malmo.
The center-right government has vowed to tackle gang-related crime by tightening laws.
Through May, there have been 144 shootings this year, with 18 fatalities, according to Swedish police. Shootings also wounded 41 people, including innocent bystanders.