Nordic Ministers Vow to Tackle Cross-Border Gang Violence

Ministers target foreign gang leaders hiring Swedish teens for crimes
By Newser.AI Read our AI policy
Posted Aug 21, 2024 3:15 PM CDT
Nordic Ministers Vow to Tackle Cross-Border Gang Violence
Sweden's Justice Minister Gunnar Str?mmer, left, and Denmark's Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard provide information at a press conference in the Ministry of Justice in Copenhagen, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, about the effort against gang crime.   (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Danish and Swedish justice ministers pledged Wednesday to target foreign gang leaders recruiting Swedish teens to commit violent crimes in Denmark. Denmark's Peter Hummelgaard revealed that Swedish minors have been involved in at least 25 criminal incidents in Denmark since April, partially due to Sweden's more lenient penalties for minors: Those convicted of murder in Sweden are sent to juvenile facilities, but in Denmark they can be sentenced to up to 16 years in prison. Hummelgaard criticized gang orchestrators hiding abroad, stressing the issue's severity.

The violence often stems from Swedish and Danish gang feuds. A dual Swedish-Turkish national leading one Swedish gang resides in Turkey, where extradition laws protect him. This gang is reportedly involved in a deadly conflict with Denmark's Loyal to Familia gang, outlawed in 2021. Sweden has long struggled with gang violence, and Danish police also face gang conflicts, albeit less severe.

Both nations are tightening laws. Sweden plans stricter penalties for minors, who currently face juvenile detention but could see up to 16 years in Danish prisons. Gunnar Strömmer, Hummelgaard's Swedish counterpart, highlighted problems with gangs ordering crimes online openly. Denmark might adopt facial recognition and advanced software for monitoring encrypted messages to combat this trend.

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Word Count: 170 (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)

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