Sweden’s Justice System Struggles to Curb Gang Violence and Child Recruitment
Gangs in Sweden are recruiting children as young as 11 years old as contract killers, using social media and encrypted messaging apps to reach their targets. The National Operations Department (NOA) has reported a surge in gang-related violence, with 53 people killed in shootings last year, including innocent victims.
The gangs operate through a complex network of leaders, intermediaries, and subcontractors, with missions posted on online forums and discussion groups. The NOA head, Johan Olsson, describes it as a “job market” where young people are lured into committing crimes.
Police have identified a pattern of young people being recruited into gang life, often struggling in school, having addiction issues, or already being in trouble with the law. Some even seek out the contracts for the promise of cash, recognition, or a sense of belonging.
Experts warn that the children recruited are being ruthlessly exploited, with their handlers avoiding risks and hiding behind pseudonyms on social media. The patterns of gang violence are increasingly public, with innocent bystanders dying, and the number of murder-related cases involving suspects under 15 rising sharply.
The Swedish Justice System is struggling to combat the issue, with experts citing the “ruthless exploitation of young people” and the difficulty in leaving the gang once recruited. Volunteers in disadvantaged neighborhoods are working to raise awareness about the risks of falling under gang control, but the outlook is bleak, with conflicts that “never end.”