– Swedish and Norwegian criminals cooperate across the border, and the activity of Swedish gang criminals on Norwegian soil has become more visible. This is what the Norwegian Police Directorate wrote in a letter to the Ministry of Justice. They describe the situation as serious and extraordinary, and believe there is an extensive need for cooperation between the police in Norway and Sweden. In the letter, they also write that they are worried about the connection between Swedish and Norwegian criminal networks. This year, the government is spending NOK 300 million on overcoming criminal networks. The police during an investigation in Oslo. Photo: Adnan Ayanle / PSP Joint police patrols should be the next step against cross-border crime, believes the police directorate, which is now submitting this proposal to the Minister of Justice. – We specifically see Swedish criminals with power capital who are hired by Norwegian criminals to carry out assignments in Norway. That’s what police director Benedicte Bjørnland said this spring, when the first sod roof for a new Norwegian-Swedish police station on the border at Magnormoen in Innlandet was taken. According to her, the police also have information that Norwegian criminals wish to buy weapons and explosives from Sweden. Director of Police Benedicte Bjørnland. Photo: Heiko Junge Many have shouted warnings about the development of cross-border crime. Innlandet and Trøndelag police district have now asked the Norwegian Police Directorate to start “joint patrolling” with Swedish police. This can be implemented, replies the directorate. In a letter to the Ministry of Justice, the directorate states that “the cross-border crime is considered serious and extraordinary, and thus differs from an ordinary situation that the national police are expected to handle on their own”. Challenges with weapons The letter from the Norwegian Police Directorate does not say anything further about where the patrolling will take place. Joint patrolling will mainly have to take place in Sweden at the request of the Swedish police, because the current regulations do not allow for repeated border crossings between Norway and Sweden. When asked if this makes it difficult to carry out police cooperation as closely as they wish, State Secretary Sigve Bolstad (Sp) in the Ministry of Justice replies that this is something they should look into. Sigve Bolstad (Sp) is state secretary in the Ministry of Justice. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news – Is it a challenge to let Swedish armed police into Norway? – From the ministry’s side, we will assess what is written in the letter from the police directorate, and we will give a quick response to it. – Will this expanded cooperation require additional personnel in the relevant police districts? – It will be an ongoing assessment at any time. Bolstad will not answer whether the proposal has been clarified with the Swedish governing authorities, nor say anything about when a “joint patrol” may be underway. Police station on both sides In May, the first sod roof for a Swedish-Norwegian police station was taken at Magnormoen in Innlandet. It will be completed in 2025, and is the first of its kind. The building stretches across both the Norwegian and Swedish sides of the border. – This is a very important station for the Norwegian and Swedish police to be able to cooperate even more closely, said Minister of Justice and Emergency Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) at the time. The joint taskforce for the police has previously concluded that a joint building for Norwegian and Swedish police is the best solution to prevent cross-border crime. This is what the new police station will look like. Statsbygg will build the station, which will be around 1,350 square metres. Photo: Statsbygg / NTB Network with a foothold in Norway According to Kripos, the registered criminal network in the joint police district. – We have examples where the Foxtrot network offers its services to Norwegian criminal networks. There are also other Swedish organized criminals who provide services for Norwegian criminals in Norway, Kripos chief Kristin Kvigne has previously told news. She has also expressed concern about whether the Norwegian police have enough resources to deal with the Swedish gangs. Kripos chief Kristin Kvigne. Photo: Eirin Tjolot / news – We must be aware that the threshold for setting up in Norway is getting lower, says Kvigne. She emphasized that there are no Swedish conditions in Norway, but that one should be careful in thinking that the network in Norway is not as dangerous. Recently, there have been several trials of crime in Norway in which Swedish criminals have been involved. In the summer of 2021, among other things, the police started to investigate the smuggling of drugs from Sweden to Norway. Kripos believes a criminal network smuggled cocaine, heroin and other narcotic drugs worth several hundred million kroner. Large parts of the drug are said to have been smuggled in through small forest roads at Eidskog in Innlandet across the border from Sweden. Members of the network shared photos like this with each other. Photo: the police / the police – A desire to strengthen In autumn, the Nordic police leaders met to strengthen cooperation against organized crime. The Nordic countries have a common set of regulations, where they can borrow police between them. Anders Thornberg in the Swedish police and police inspector Benedicte Bjørndalen. Photo: Martin Solhaug Standal / NTB – When it comes to large crowds and violence, we have had employees from Norwegian and Danish police who have collaborated with Swedish police in the past. We can make such reinforcements, but we are not there yet, says Thornberg. That’s what Anders Thornberg, head of the Swedish police, said at the time. The Norwegian Police Directorate has asked the Ministry of Justice for an answer this week. When asked whether this could be a long-term solution, the state secretary replies as follows: – What is important is that we have good and close cooperation with the Swedish police. We have that today, and there is a desire to strengthen it. Published 13.08.2024, at 06.37
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Norwegian police will patrol with the Swedes to combat crime – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
