Swedish and Danish premiers discuss ways to tackle gang crime

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to discuss the ways in which their two countries can combat rising gang crime and violence.

It comes after a number of gang-related incidents were reported in Copenhagen, which local officials have attributed to young immigrants recruited by Swedish gangs.

Sweden’s gang violence has escalated to the point where it has one of the highest per capita rates of gun crime in the EU, with perpetrators often being under the age of 18.

There is an average of one shooting per day for every 10 million inhabitants, and in 2023, 53 people were killed in shootings.

The issue which has been brought back into the spotlight after it was revealed Swedish gangs are expanding their operations into Denmark, Norway and Finland.

“There is unfortunately a very close relationship between foreign policy and criminalisation today. Because when we look at organised crime. When we look at violence. When we look at drugs. Then there is an overrepresentation in Denmark and in Sweden. Especially with young men from non-Western backgrounds. And it is unsustainable,” Frederiksen told reporters at a daycare centre in Denmark.

Official figures also show that since April 2024, there have been at least 25 instances in which young Swedes were hired by Danes to commit crimes in Denmark.

The attacks involved using guns, bombs and even hand grenades.

In August this year, Denmark announced it was tightening its border controls with Sweden to combat the threat from gangs.

The Swedish government has also announced that a cross-border hub of police officers from Finland, Norway, and Denmark will be set up in Stockholm.

Nordic leaders also committed to improving cross-border communication between local and national authorities to support sustainable migration to the EU and Nordic region in the future.