Nordic countries strengthen security against ‘child soldiers’

Danish police are trying to curb gang violence because crime bosses often rely on Swedish teenagers to carry out their orders.

Denmark is stepping up security at its border with Sweden after a series of shootings involving suspected hitmen – several of whom turned out to be minors – from its Nordic neighbour.

Speaking to TV2 on Friday, Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard described the situation as follows: “serious,” Danish authorities are increasing the physical presence of law enforcement at the border, particularly on trains crossing the Öresund Strait that separates the two countries. Police are also increasingly using security cameras.

Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer described the new measures as a natural step. “It is new that criminal groups operating in Denmark are recruiting subcontractors in Sweden. Of course, this is serious and we have a strong common interest… in putting an end to this,” he said.

Hummelgaard acknowledged that gang violence involving mercenaries has intensified in recent weeks, describing it as a “disgusting phenomenon” He also noted that one facet of the problem is that hired “Swedish child soldiers” come to Copenhagen to carry out tasks related to gang conflicts. “strings” In these conflicts, the protagonists are people from non-Western countries, such as Lebanon, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. “We don’t want to accept this” he stressed.

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Sweden, meanwhile, has long been plagued by violence and high levels of crime in many immigrant-dominated neighborhoods.

Last week, Denmark was rocked by a series of violent incidents. On Thursday, a 43-year-old man was killed and a 42-year-old woman was injured in a shooting in northwest Copenhagen, with the attacker still at large. Meanwhile, Danish police arrested two Swedish nationals, aged 17 and 16, on suspicion of involvement in two other shootings in Copenhagen, as well as another 17-year-old suspected of involvement in a shooting in the city of Kolding.

Two other 25-year-olds are also suspected of throwing a grenade into a kiosk in Copenhagen. They were extradited to Sweden last week.

On Friday, TV2 published an investigation that provides insight into the booming criminal job market. Social networks are full of offers promising large sums of money for murders, vandalism and other types of violence. For example, a job titled “a bullet in the head” pays around $47,500, while those willing to throw a grenade at an unspecified target could potentially earn $19,000.