Sweden Tackles Surge in Gang Crime, Proposes Electronic Surveillance of Minors
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced plans on Thursday to fast-track legislation enabling Swedish police to use electronic surveillance on children under the age of 15. This move comes amidst a worrying trend of serious crimes committed by juveniles recruited by criminal gangs. Sweden has been grappling with an increase in gang-related shootings and bombings over recent years, with 2023 seeing one of the highest levels of deadly gun violence per capita in Europe.
The proposed legislation aims to counter the growing influence of internationally connected gangs that are increasingly recruiting children. If enacted by fall 2025, it would allow police to access mobile phones and electronically wiretap minors under 15. Kristersson acknowledged the current struggle to control the wave of violence, stating, “It is quite obvious that we don’t have control over the wave of violence.”
January alone saw an unprecedented series of bombings in Sweden, with more than 30 incidents primarily targeting businesses and citizens in the Stockholm region. While no fatalities were reported, these incidents caused injuries and property damage, prompting police to advise residents to stay indoors at certain times. Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer emphasized the need to halt this trend, noting an average of one blast per day during January.
Sweden’s national police chief, Petra Lundh, revealed that many teenage contract killers are very young and recruited from abroad. Police data indicates around 600 criminals targeting Sweden live overseas. Lundh described how 12-, 13-, and 14-year-olds carry out violent assignments openly communicated on digital marketplaces, with gang leaders operating abroad using encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram to recruit underage teens.
Swedish officials describe the gang crime landscape as highly organized and complex, with leaders exploiting intermediaries and digital communication tools to evade law enforcement. Kristersson criticized social media platforms for not doing enough to protect children from this influence. The proposed electronic surveillance legislation seeks to strengthen police capabilities in combating this alarming trend of juvenile involvement in serious crimes.