Spanish police arrest 30-year-old Swede on street wanted for violent crimes and organised crime
Agents from the special Greco Levante unit arrested a 30-year-old Swede on 2 July in Orihuela, Alicante, who was wanted by Swedish justice.
Spanish police arrest 30-year-old Swede on street wanted for violent crimes and organised crime
Agents from the Greco Levante special unit of Spain's National Police arrested a 30-year-old Swedish man on 2 July in Orihuela, in the province of Alicante, who was wanted by his country's justice authorities. The arrest took place in open street and was based on a European arrest warrant issued by a Swedish prosecutor, according to a statement from Spanish police.
The detainee is suspected of instigating serious violent crimes and is linked to an international criminal network. Swedish authorities attribute to him the supply of weapons and the recruitment of minors to commit contract murders and acts of revenge. The recruitment, according to the police statement, was carried out through social networks and payment was made with cryptocurrencies.
Following the arrest, agents conducted a search of the suspect's home in the same locality. During the search, they seized electronic equipment that could contain evidence of criminal activity.
The man appeared before the court in Orihuela and a higher court is examining an extradition request to Sweden filed by the Swedish prosecutor. Christer Chernström, head of investigation for the South Stockholm police area, stated in a statement that the arrest of the suspected 30-year-old instigator is significant and that he had exercised clear influence over the criminal situation in Stockholm.
Cajsa Velden, acting head of the international unit of Sweden's National Investigation Office (Noa), highlighted in the same statement that Spain is a popular destination for both Swedish tourists and criminals from that country, and thanked the Swedish authorities for their collaboration with Spanish authorities.
The arrested man had been residing in Orihuela for several years, a locality on the Costa Blanca where hundreds of Swedes have purchased homes. According to data cited by Swedish media outlet Expressen, in 2023 a total of 420 Swedish citizens purchased a property in that area.
So far this year, a total of 165 people have been arrested abroad under Swedish search warrants, of which 31 have been arrested in Spanish territory, according to figures from Swedish police.
Source: Expressen
Source: Expressen