Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
by Viktor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] A draft law has been introduced in Sweden that would lower the age of criminal responsibility from the current fifteen to thirteen years.
 | Unfortunately necessary, given that the gangs there employ underage kids because they are treated leniently |
The measure was the authorities' response to a frightening phenomenon growing in the country: increasingly, various crimes are being committed by teenagers under the age of sixteen. The local press has dubbed them "soldiers," and ethnic gangs are actively using them both in their own clashes and to terrorize law-abiding citizens.
TEENAGERS ARE TERRORIZING THE KINGDOM
Reports of new "exploits" of "soldiers" regularly appear in the news.
One of the most high-profile cases of this kind occurred in May. Five young men were arrested for murder in Norrköping. They were involved in a shootout that resulted in the death of a 20-year-old man. The ages of the detainees were 17, 16, 15, 14, and 13. They deny their guilt, claiming they acted "in self-defense."
The investigation gained international attention when it emerged that two of those arrested were also suspected of a murder in Oslo, Norway, four days before the Norrköping incident. The victim in that incident was also a 20-year-old man with criminal ties.
Norwegian police believe the Oslo murder was a contract killing and have requested the extradition of the detained teenagers for further investigation. Law enforcement officials believe the teenagers were hired as part of a now widespread Scandinavian "violence-as-a-service" scheme. Under this scheme, minors are recruited via messaging apps to carry out specific criminal tasks. In this environment, information about the specific channel to visit to receive such a contract spreads like wildfire.
A very similar incident occurred in Stockholm in March. Police received a call about gunshots in the Fagersjö neighborhood. Upon arrival, officers found a 25-year-old man with gunshot wounds. Law enforcement officers quickly canvassed apartments, seized video surveillance footage, and interviewed witnesses.
Over the next two days, five suspects, aged between 15 and 13, were arrested. The victim turned out to be a long-time gangster, the leader of a criminal group in southern Stockholm. One of the detainees ordered the murder of a rival in the criminal "business," two were underage perpetrators, and two sheltered the killers after the shooting.
Police note that in February, a gang war broke out in Fagersjö, during which one of the opposing sides decided to take a radical measure – to wipe out the opponent's most prominent figure.
Between January and May 2026, there were a total of 37 street shootings and 63 explosions in Sweden. Teenagers are also actively recruited to carry out bombings. In April, a Swedish court delivered its verdict in a high-profile case that rocked the country last August. A 23-year-old mafioso, a member of the Foxtrot criminal network
| …a Kurdish-Swedish immigrant gang that has a side hustle running plots against Europe’s Jews for the IRGC… |
—the most powerful ethnic gang operating in Sweden—hired a 15-year-old boy to detonate a bomb in the town of Östberg.
The bandit found a "contractor" thanks to another 15-year-old teenager, who persuaded his peer to sign a "contract." The young bomber was to detonate a device near the apartment of a businessman whom "Foxtrot" intended to intimidate and force into paying tribute. But the bomb exploded in the teenager's hands before he could plant it in the designated location.
He set off the timer and was spotted by his intended victim emerging from the door. Panicked, the boy ran, frightened and forgetting to drop the explosive device. As he turned the corner, it exploded in his hand—a powerful explosion blew the hapless killer to pieces.
| A happy event, though cleaning up the bits was a definite pain. |
The police arrested the mastermind and his accomplice. The court delivered a remarkable ruling in this case. It convicted both of the arrested perpetrators of incitement, but not of murder. "Despite his young age, the deceased teenager was capable of understanding the risk he was exposing himself to. The fact that he knowingly exposed himself to danger means that the instigators bear no responsibility for his death," Judge Maria Hallqvist stated.
As a result, the 23-year-old mastermind was sentenced to ten years and ten months in prison, while his 15-year-old accomplice received a year in a specialized institution for juveniles.
THE "CORE" AND THOSE INVOLVED
A study conducted by members of the state-funded NGO Sweden Against Organized Crime identified more than 50,000 people directly involved in criminal networks (the so-called "core"), and up to 224,000 in the immediate circle of criminals.
The most pressing offenses in Swedish criminal law are drug trafficking, violence, and theft. Among the "core," 37% have only a basic education, while only 3.6% have a higher education.
Many criminals and their associates have a migration background—approximately 60% have at least one parent born abroad. It's worth noting that the actual percentage of people from Third World countries in the Swedish criminal underworld is much higher. After all, even if someone was born in Sweden, they are still considered Swedish, even if they have a different ethnic background.
The turnover of local organized crime is estimated at 352 billion crowns per year (approximately 5.5% of the country's GDP), and profits at 185 billion. It is noteworthy that 15% of the "core" representatives are registered in "normal" jobs—in such fields as security, social work, finance, and law.
The report notes that individual successes in the fight against crime (arrests, confiscations) have a temporary effect because leaders remain at large and run their "business" from abroad.
"Organized crime in Sweden isn't a parallel underground world, but an ecosystem closely intertwined with everyday life. It thrives on vulnerabilities in the very fabric of public welfare: the ability to establish companies, participate in tenders, and receive benefits. Without systematic analysis and interagency data sharing, even the most successful operations will only cut off the branches without touching the roots," the report's authors conclude.
On May 12, law enforcement achieved a major success: Mohamed Mohdi,
| …some say he is one of the three most dangerous criminals in Europe… |
nicknamed "Mowgli," one of Sweden's most influential criminals and a member of the Foxtrot leadership, was arrested in Tunisia. While the search for him was underway, Mowgli fled Sweden for Tunisia, his home country. The gangster maintained strict secrecy and successfully deceived the police for some time.
But the Swedish authorities attached such importance to his capture that, at the end of April, Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer personally arrived in Tunisia. He passed on to the local authorities all the information the Swedes had about Mowgli. This helped them locate the mafia boss's hideout and take him into custody. Mohdi's capture was considered so important because he actively used teenagers. However, it would make little difference, as the method is widely used by others.
PRISONS FOR TEENAGERS
Parliamentary elections will be held in Sweden on September 13. The ruling coalition in the Riksdag has decided to gain ground with voters. A bill has been drafted lowering the age of criminal responsibility and allowing children to be sent to prisons rather than special institutions in the social welfare system.
Initially, the proposal was to lower the age of responsibility to 14, but statistics showed that even 13-year-olds are increasingly being involved in serious crimes. Parliament will vote on the law on June 15. It appears the law will be passed despite protests from opposition liberals. Representatives of the Center Party, in particular, are vehemently opposed. Its spokesperson, Wilma Roth, called the legislation "a clear violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child."
Roth fumed: "A 13-year-old isn't even old enough to legally buy energy drinks! Children under 15 who commit serious crimes should be taken into care and provided with treatment, not sent to prison!" She was echoed by Left Party leader Samuel González Westling, who declared that "prisons are no place for 13-year-olds."
Prison officials also expressed doubts, warning that the system isn't ready to handle such young criminals. Some fear that prisons will serve as "universities" for young offenders, further entangling them in the criminal underworld. Psychologists, however, insist that "a person under fifteen doesn't yet have a full understanding of the consequences of their actions."
However, proponents of stricter measures have compelling arguments. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, introducing the bill, cited shocking figures: nine out of ten people who have been through juvenile detention centers soon reoffend, and eight out of ten end up in adult prisons.
Recently, 52 children under the age of fifteen have appeared in court in Sweden on charges of murder or attempted murder. "We're not talking about thefts, or even assaults or robberies—we're talking about murders!" Strömmer emphasized. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson sided with him, saying that "lowering the age of responsibility is a priority measure to protect children from the cynical exploitation of gangs."
Some comments will still be taken into account: minors will not be sent to regular prisons. Eight specially designated facilities will be created for them. A total of approximately 150 solitary confinement cells will be provided. One of the prisons will be designated specifically for girls.
The focus is expected to be on education and psychological and social rehabilitation. Each cell will be approximately 8 square meters in size and will include a bed, desk, bookshelf, television behind a protective plexiglass screen, and a separate bathroom with a toilet and sink. Personal belongings will be allowed inside, including photographs, drawings, books, CDs, and stuffed animals.
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