LONDON 

The number of young people between the ages of 15 and 17 who are suspected of being involved in murder or attempted murder in Sweden has more than doubled since 2020, figures from the country’s Public Prosecutor's Office show. 

In 2020, the number of 15-17-year-olds who were suspected of involvement in murder or attempted murder was 127, but in 2023, that figure has increased sharply to 307, according to the office.

Among several of the high-profile cases there were early signs that caused concern as young people who committed murders often faced various challenges or risk factors, such as difficulties at school or poor home conditions, public broadcaster SVT reported.

“It has gone (up) very, very fast, and we simply haven't kept up,” Tomas Bolevin, group leader in the Haninge-Nynashamn police area, was quoted as saying by the Expressen news outlet.

Criminal networks are known to recruit and arm teens, who end up carrying out criminal activities on their behalf.

According to the outlet, there has long been a criminal network In Jordbro, south of Stockholm, that has been driving the bloody spiral of violence.

Recently, a key figure in the network was sentenced to 18 years in prison for recruiting teenage boys for several attempted murders.

“The criminals are experts in finding these children,” who are then recruited as gang members, said SVT in their review.

Bolevin stressed that the authorities must focus on identifying young people who are at risk of being recruited early.

“The difficult thing is picking out the children who are actually at risk of ending up in serious crime and taking the right measures. After all, there are many other children who have other challenges and problems too,” he said.

The Nordic country has long been grappling with a surge in gun violence that is related to organized crime networks that operate throughout the country.

Currently, Swedish law states that children younger than 15 cannot be sentenced, while older teens are given a maximum of four years in so-called compulsory care.

The war-like violence results in bombings and shootings between young people, leading to deaths.