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Criminal networks recruit children: Red alert in Sweden!
In Sweden, gangs use social media to recruit children for contract killings. The number of those affected is increasing alarmingly.
Criminal networks recruit children: Red alert in Sweden!
A shocking case from Sweden shows how criminal gangs are recruiting contract killers who are getting younger and younger. An 11-year-old boy made headlines on Instagram by saying, "Brother, I can't wait to see my first dead body." He was contacted by a 19-year-old gang member who offered him 150,000 crowns (around 13,000 euros) for a murder, even including transport and clothing for the operation. This information comes from police investigation files in Värmland province, which the AFP news agency was able to view. The boy was not alone as three other minors were also escorted before the crimes could take place. The case illustrates the desperate impact of growing gang violence in Sweden, where 53 people died in shootings in 2023, including innocent civilians.
A shocking phenomenon
According to Johan Olsson, the head of the national police, the gangs turn out to be complex organizations: The bosses operate from abroad and use encrypted messenger services such as Telegram to recruit young people who are not of criminal responsibility due to their age. The number of murder cases in which a suspect is under 15 years old has increased dramatically in Sweden: from 31 cases in the first eight months of 2023 to 102 in the same period in 2024. Criminology professor Sven Granath points to the role of “crimefluencers” on platforms like TikTok, which not only depict a criminal life, but also establish contact between clients and young criminals. These children are often affected by problems at school or have difficulties with abnormalities or social adjustment.
To counteract this devastating development, volunteers work in disadvantaged neighborhoods to educate young people about the dangers of gang recruitment. The National Council for Crime Prevention reports that many children seek money and belonging and self-select assignments. As Tony Quiroga, a police officer in Örebro, put it: “It is a ruthless exploitation of young people who are just starting to live their lives.” In order to close the gap between these at-risk young people and a safe upbringing, child and youth welfare services are required to provide effective support structures, as set out in Section 1 SGB VIII, to help them lead a self-determined and responsible life. How kinder-jugendhilfe.info report, the state only has to intervene if the safety of the children is at risk.