Swedish police: Criminal gangs have infiltrated strawberry sales in Stockholm
Swedish police warn that criminal gangs have infiltrated strawberry sales in Stockholm. During inspections of approximately 30 berry stalls, connections to organised crime were found.
Swedish police: Criminal gangs have infiltrated strawberry sales in Stockholm
Swedish police warn that criminal gangs have infiltrated strawberry sales in Stockholm. Authorities inspected approximately 30 berry stalls in southern Stockholm during May-June, and in most of them signs of connections to organised crime were found, reports Ilta-Sanomat.
During the inspections, police encountered individuals already suspected of other criminal offences, such as violent gang crime. The berry trade includes, among other things, falsification of origin, money laundering, tax crimes and underpayment of labour.
The most well-known example is gang leader Ismail Abdo, who led the Foxtrot network and was arrested in Turkey in the summer of 2025. He was nicknamed "Strawberry" after importing strawberries from Belgium which were then sold as Swedish. Abdo has also been linked to drug trafficking and gang warfare. Last year, Helsinki District Court remanded him in custody in absentia, suspected of two serious drug offences and of ordering a bomb attack against the Bandidos motorcycle gang.
Police urge consumers to check the packaging on the berries and to see whether the stated country of origin matches what the seller says. Unusually low prices may indicate underpayment of labour. With mobile payments, one should ensure that the money goes to a business number and not to private individuals. In the popular Swish app in Sweden, business numbers begin with the series 123. Requesting a receipt prevents sales revenue from being concealed in the accounts.
Source: Ilta-Sanomat
Source: Google News FI — Crime (fi)