The Nordic countries they will step up police cooperation and set up a coordination center in Stockholm in a bid to prevent Sweden’s serious problem with gang violence from spreading to Norway, Finland and Denmark.

Sweden’s gangs have for years been considered among the most violent in Europe. T

this year 10 Swedes – half of them minors – were arrested in Denmark and charged with attempted murder and weapons possession. This fact has caused intense concern in Stockholm.

Sweden’s Justice Minister Gunnar Strömer told Reuters that Sweden and Denmark would deploy police officers on each other’s territory. “A major reason for doing this is that we will be able to share information in real time. We will be able to identify at an early stage which children and young people are at risk of being drawn into these criminal networks and prevent it,” he said.

In addition, a Nordic station with police officers from Finland, Norway and Denmark will be established in Stockholm. Norwegian and Finnish officers are already there and the Danes will go in a few weeks.

Swedish gang members are paid by Danish gangs to launch violent attacks on their rivals. Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said that since April there have been 25 such incidents. He called the attackers “child soldiers” and said Sweden has a “sick” culture of violence, unwelcome in Denmark.

“The reality is that not only Denmark but a large part of the Nordic countries are experiencing the consequences of Sweden’s failed immigration and justice policy and we take this extremely seriously“, Hummelgaard added in a press conference he gave.

Stromer argued that Denmark also bears some responsibility for its gangs, but agreed with criticism of Sweden’s gang problem.

For many decades Sweden had one of the most generous immigration systems but has changed its policy in recent years due to an increase in crime largely attributed to the lack of integration of immigrants.

Sweden has the highest per capita rate of gun violence in the European Union. Last year alone, 55 people were shot and killed in 363 separate incidents, in a country of 10 million people. By comparison, there were only six fatal shooting incidents in the other three Nordic countries combined.

Police say Swedish gangs have sometimes helped troubled teenagers, as young as 14, escape from youth hostels where they were housed to carry out death contracts. In return, they gave them clothes, cash and drugs.

Norway says Swedish criminal networks have now spread across the country. The presence of gangs has become more visible as they are attracted by higher drug prices and less competition. The EU’s open border policy makes it easier for criminals to move into the region. This summer, however, Denmark tightened border controls with Sweden and began more actively monitoring passengers arriving by train from that country.

Sweden’s centre-right government, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, won the 2022 election promising to enforce law and order and curb immigration. The country has received over 2 million people since the turn of the millennium. About 20% of the population was born abroad.