Britons killed in suspected gang violence as Sweden struggles

Sweden was once perceived as a welfare state. Today, many believe it is becoming the capital of gun violence and gang wars.

This gang violence may have caused the deaths of the two British citizens, whose remains were found in a burnt Toyota RAV4 in the suburbs of Malmö.

Local media report that the police are launching a manhunt and are detaining people for questioning. Authorities fear that further violent attacks may occur and have not ruled out that the entire situation is gang-related.

Rickard Lundqvist, a spokesperson for the local police, confirmed details about the investigation on Sunday. The police also confirmed that they are cooperating with foreign services in this case. Officers are asking for tips regarding the burnt car, trying to piece together what happened.

For foreign mafia groups, Sweden is a "haven" for criminal activities, while local organised gangs have already infiltrated business sectors and found access to arms suppliers.

In recent years, violence statistics have increased, which experts believe is related to feuds between criminal groups in the context of high migration levels to Sweden. Over 20 years, the share of the non-Western population in the country has increased from 2 to 15 per cent.

In September 2023, over just 20 days, more than 40 violent episodes and 12 deaths were recorded, leading to the period being dubbed "Black September."

Throughout 2023, 53 people died in shootings in Sweden, which has a population of about 10.5 million. In 2022, this number was 62, and the murder rate per capita in Stockholm was about 30 times higher than in London.

Almost half of those suspected of gun-related homicides in 2022 were between 15 and 20 years old, raised by gangs primarily run by second-generation immigrants.