A Halden-based criminal network has for years enriched itself at the expense of others. They have robbed, smuggled and defrauded private individuals and businesses for millions of kroner. The police have previously referred to them as “a danger to democracy” in an interview with news. In May last year, key figures in the network were sentenced to long prison terms. The court also determined that they were part of an organized criminal group. Three of those involved appealed the district court verdict from May last year. Now the 141-page judgment from the Court of Appeal is ready. A number of people in the network have been convicted several times, both in Norway and Sweden. Both the older brother, the younger brother and the woman in her 20s have had their sentences increased. They have been sentenced to ten years and two months, seven years and six months and two years and ten months in prison, respectively. This is what the various actors have been convicted of: Storebror (38) has been convicted in the Court of Appeal for serious drug offences, serious customs offences, serious fraud, complicity in fraud, serious fraud and serious illegal possession of firearms. The sentence is a joint sentence with several previous convictions. Lillebror (31) has been convicted in the Court of Appeal for a serious drug offense and serious theft. The sentence is a joint sentence that includes several sentences in Norway and Sweden. The woman in her 20s has been convicted in the Court of Appeal for complicity in serious drug offences. The sentence is a joint sentence with a fraud case from 2023. Parts of the sentence have been made conditional. The man in his 50s was convicted in the district court for serious illegal possession of firearms, serious drug offences, serious theft and smuggling of alcohol. Swedish man in his 30s: Was convicted in the district court for aggravated theft, aggravated fraud, complicity in aggravated fraud and driving under the influence of drugs. The sentence is a joint sentence with several previous sentences from Norway and Sweden. Campaigned in 2018 East police district has kept the environment under surveillance for many years. The criminal offenses for which they are now convicted were committed in the period from 2012 to 2021. The police were heavily armed and felt obliged to hide their identity when they campaigned against the network in 2018. In the same year, the fight against this environment was highlighted as one of the police district’s most special cases. The Lørenskog disappearance and the Lime case were also listed in the same category. In December last year, three of those involved were also convicted of defrauding a number of people for several million kroner. Young men were tricked into taking out loans and betting big on football matches that didn’t exist. Theft, smuggling and serious violence The Court of Appeal has no doubt that the network, led by a pair of Kosovar Albanian brothers, is an organized criminal group. – The crime has previously consisted of gross theft, the importation of large quantities of alcohol and tobacco and the resale of this – and has recently shifted to more serious crime related to drug sales, writes the Court of Appeal. The court points out that over time the brothers have accumulated both capital of violence and capital of fear. The big brother is designated as the main man. He has previously been convicted of several incidents of violence and threats in both Norway and Sweden. He has also been violent towards other inmates while he has been in custody. The two Norwegian brothers were sentenced for violence and complicity in violence after this incident in Sweden. Police Risky car chase in borderland Parts of the complex of cases concern the importation of 190,000 cigarettes into Norway across Svinesund. The police first tried to stop them on the Swedish side of the border. The smugglers then drove to Norway with the police in tow, before driving back to Sweden – where they were later stopped. At the same time as the network tried to flee from the police, a police helicopter followed from the air. – The video shows extremely dangerous driving at high speed with very dangerous overtaking, writes the Court of Appeal. Defendant criticizes the court Morten Furuholmen defends the appointed main man. He believes the Court of Appeal has been too uncritical of the police investigation. – My opinion is that the Court of Appeal has set a much too low standard of proof here, and that my client has been judged “guilty by association”, says Furuholmen. It is not known whether his client will appeal the sentence. The defense attorneys for the other convicts have not yet responded to news’s inquiries. Lawyer Morten Furuholmen. Photo: Torbjørn Brovold / news Illegal weapons The brothers based in Halden and other people associated with the network were arrested in Sweden in 2021. In connection with the investigation, large weapons were later seized on both sides of the border. Pistol fittings made in both Norway and Sweden. Kripos compared the weapons, and found that they were modified in the same way, but could not conclude that the weapons were rebuilt in the same place. Photo: The police Four semi-automatic pistols, a fully automatic machine gun and 190 cartridges were seized. In Sweden, the eldest brother was convicted of complicity in violence. The little brother was convicted of violence and serious weapons offences. Published 02.10.2024, at 14.01
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The Court of Appeal toughens the punishment for criminal networks from Eastern Norway – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
