A total of 188 people wanted under Swedish warrants have been arrested abroad since the beginning of 2026, according to new police figures. The number has increased as Sweden strengthens cooperation with police authorities in other countries.
Some of those arrested are suspected of directing murders, shootings and bomb attacks in Sweden while living abroad. During the same period in 2025, 157 people wanted by Sweden were arrested in other countries.
Wanted suspects arrested abroad increase
The figures were reported by SVT, based on information from the Swedish Police Authority.
Johan Olsson, head of the Swedish Police Authority’s National Operations Department, known as Noa, said long-term cooperation with foreign authorities had contributed to the increase.
Noa coordinates national police operations against organised crime and other serious threats. It also works with international partners when suspects leave Sweden or direct criminal activity from another country.
“This type of violence is unusual in many of these countries. People react strongly to it and absolutely do not want it there,” Olsson told SVT.
“That helps us ensure the cases are given priority. Swedish networks have stood out compared with networks from other countries,” he added. The quotations have been translated from Swedish.
Police say the work involves building contacts with foreign authorities over a long period. Investigators also use international arrest warrants and cooperation through organisations such as Europol.
Spain is a centre for Swedish gangs
Spain remains one of the most important locations for Swedish criminal networks operating abroad. Police say 33 people wanted under Swedish warrants have been arrested there so far in 2026.
One of the latest arrests involved 21-year-old Emin Muqa Kulic. Spanish police detained him during an operation near Barcelona at the beginning of August.
According to SVT, Kulic is suspected of holding a senior position in the Dalen network, a criminal group linked to serious violence in the Stockholm area. He had been detained in his absence in Sweden in connection with around 20 suspected offences.
Kulic was added to the EU Most Wanted list in May 2026. Swedish authorities suspect him of offences including incitement and complicity in murder, attempted murder, weapons offences and explosions. The allegations have not been tested in a final court judgment.
SVT reported that he had previously been believed to be in Mexico. He was instead arrested in Sitges, a coastal town near Barcelona.
Police target people ordering violence
Swedish police have increased their focus on people suspected of ordering violent crimes from outside the country.
“We have a major problem, so one individual high-profile arrest is not enough,” Olsson said.
“We need to increase the number. It has been important for us to reach the people directing the crimes from abroad,” he added. The quotations have been translated from Swedish.
People based abroad may use encrypted communication services and online platforms to recruit younger offenders in Sweden. Police have previously described this system as crime as a service, where shootings or bombings can be ordered and organised remotely.
Swedish police have estimated that around 800 people living abroad are involved in criminal activity affecting Sweden. This does not mean that all 800 are formally wanted or suspected of the same types of offences.
Arrests linked to lower fatal violence
Police believe that efforts to arrest people directing crimes from abroad have contributed to a reduction in fatal violence in Sweden.
Olsson described the decline as evidence that international police work was having an effect. However, he warned that new individuals continue to take the place of those who are detained.
“It never ends. New actors are always appearing. There is no list that we can simply work through,” he said. The quotation has been translated from Swedish.
An arrest abroad does not itself establish guilt. Suspects may face extradition or surrender proceedings before they can be returned to Sweden, where prosecutors and courts handle the criminal allegations.
The process can depend on the country where the person is found, the type of arrest warrant and whether the authorities have an extradition agreement with Sweden.
