A 15-year-old Swedish boy was apprehended in Sydney, accused of trying to hire hitmen for contract killings in Denmark and Sweden. The arrest took place after the Australian Federal Police (AFP) executed a search warrant at his family home in western Sydney, following a tip-off from Danish authorities regarding his alleged affiliations with violent street gangs in Scandinavia.
The teenager is said to be involved in “Crime-as-a-service,” which involves groups or individuals outsourcing criminal activities via online platforms. During the arrest, police confiscated electronic devices, which are now set for forensic examination. He was charged with two counts of using telecommunications devices with the intent to commit murder and presented to a Sydney children’s court, where he was denied bail and is scheduled for another court appearance in June.
AFP Commander Brett James noted that this case demonstrates that encrypted communications do not guarantee anonymity for criminals. The AFP’s collaboration with international police agencies, including Denmark, played a crucial role in identifying the teen’s alleged criminal links. Danish Police Deputy Chief Superintendent Lars Feldt-Rasmussen emphasised the importance of this cooperation, stating that while in Australia, the boy had attempted to recruit others for contract killings as part of ongoing gang warfare in the Nordic region.