Sweden, Gang crime | Horror figures from Sweden: This is how much a criminal gang costs

In total, over 650 gang criminals wanted to defect, but the municipalities only got money to help 160 of them, according to Sveriges Radio. The municipalities also received only 80 percent of the funds they wanted for the 160.

Gang expert Gunnar Appelgren calls it “coffee money” to the broadcaster.

– A 40-year-long criminal track costs approximately 100 million. And a criminal gang of 20 people is half a billion kroner in social costs. Then you realize that this is coffee money in comparison, says Appelgren.

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He emphasizes the importance of supporting defectors.

– Nationally, we are increasing the pressure on criminal groups. Then we also have to keep an eye on the check valve, that you should be able to leave your criminal life and your criminal values ​​and enter various forms of abstinence programmes, says Appelgren.

– Very comprehensive

Earlier this year, National Police Chief Petra Lundh shouted a warning about the situation in the country.

– We see that the criminal networks are very extensive, which confirms the image that this is a widespread and very serious social problem, she said in a press release.

The figures from the Swedish police appeared in a report on the situational picture of organized crime in Sweden.

14,000 people are considered to be active in criminal networks, while a further 48,000 are considered to be linked to criminal networks. In total, this amounts to 62,000 people, which corresponds to 0.6 per cent of Sweden’s population.

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95 percent men

The group of 48,000 includes people who are suspected of crime or appear in reports of crime together with active gang criminals, according to the Swedish police’s definition. 2,000 people are considered to have leadership roles in criminal activities.

95 per cent of those active in the criminal networks are men, the police write. They also add that 88 percent of the active criminals are Swedish citizens, while eight percent have dual citizenship and eleven percent of the criminals have foreign citizenship.

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Vedum: – We will invest more heavily

Gang violence in Oslo has increased, but at the same time there are fewer police patrols in the streets. Now the finance minister is hinting at support to strengthen the Oslo police.

– They will see when the revised budget arrives. We will invest more heavily. There will also be a tougher fight against drugs, says Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) to NRK on Monday morning.

In recent weeks, there have been several shooting incidents in Oslo. On the night of Sunday, a person was shot through a window at a kebab restaurant in the district of Grønland.

Oslo’s city council leader Eirik Lae Solberg (H) points out that over the past year there have been 133 fewer police officers in the city.

More money has been given to the police, according to the SP leader, who points out that the costs have been demanding. Vedum believes the government must now prioritize the police.