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CRIME

Another police murder leaves Sweden feeling uneasy

Following the escape from prison of police murderer Tony Olsson only last week, Sweden has been shocked by the killing of another policeman, this time in Hedemora, in Dalarna.

Ulf Grape was attacked as he arrived home from his job in Falun. According to Aftonbladet, witnesses reported seeing a fight break out. By the time help arrived, Grape had died of head injuries.

Police have arrested a 21-year-old, said to be a known criminal. The suspect has a troubled family history and his own criminal activity began in adolescence. “He is a big teddy bear, but at the same time very violent,” Aftonbladet was told, “He usually always carried a baseball bat around with him”.

Sources also described the 21-year-old as “a large man, skilled at fighting”. He was convicted in February for possession of firearms and stolen goods, according to various papers.

The suspect was on leave from a treatment centre and had returned to Dalarna when Ulf Grape was murdered. Ulf Grape has arrested the 21-year-old on numerous occasions and it is reported that “they did not like each other”. The theory is that the two “bumped into each other” as Grape was returning home from work.

“He is suspected of murder based upon probable cause, the strongest degree of suspicion. I feel convinced that we got the right man and that we will be able to ‘bring this one home’.” said Bo Persson, spokesman for the Hedemora police department, to Svenska Dagbladet.

“The fact that a policeman has been beaten to death is a terrible event and it causes me great concern”, said National police commissioner Sten Heckscher to Aftonbladet.

Meanwhile, Expressen reported that a 52-year-old man suspected of killing 10-year-old Helen Nilsson in 1989 has admitted to a further double murder. The suspect has reportedly admitted to a civil servant in Vimmerby to committing the two murders whilst he was abroad. Police say that if the information is true, it could connect the man to five murders in total.

The 52-year-old man was arrested in Midsummer, on suspicion for the murder of Helen Nilsson. He is, however, also suspected of the murder of Jannica Ekblad, 26, who was found murdered later that same year. Aftonbladet reported that police have found traces of Ekblad’s blood in his former home, and identified traces of his sperm on Helen’s body.

In a gruesome twist to the story, Expressen reports that police are looking into allegations that the 52-year old had links with a pornographic movie-maker in Örkelljunga. A police source told Expressen, “We have high hopes of getting hold of the movie in which he takes part.”

The prosecutor Pär Andersson is now expected to request a prolonged arraignment of the 52-year old, and to officially confirm that he is suspected of the murder of Helen Nilsson.

Kyana Hansson

CRIME

Illegal Swedish strawberry sales raise billions of kronor for organised crime

Swedish police have carried out raids on strawberry vendors suspected of being linked to gang crime.

Illegal Swedish strawberry sales raise billions of kronor for organised crime

According to Aftonbladet, the raids may be connected to one of Sweden’s most wanted gang leaders, Ismail Abdo, nicknamed Jordgubben (“The Strawberry”).

Police didn’t comment on specific names of gang leaders linked to the raids, but said in a statement that they had “hit a central violent actor by targeting individuals around this person and their business structures”.

Raids were carried out in Bergslagen, as well as the Mitt and Stockholm police regions.

It’s suspected that these sellers had been marketing Belgian strawberries as Swedish and using the revenue to fund serious organised crime. Police also found children under the legal working age and migrants without legal residency permits working at the stalls.

Police believe that illegal strawberry sales turn over billions of kronor every year.

“We’ve carried out multiple actions together with other authorities,” Per Lundbäck, from the Bergslagen policing region, told Swedish news agency TT. “By cutting off the finances off this type of organised crime, we can weaken gangs’ financing and their ability to carry out crimes.”

To avoid buying strawberries linked to crime, Lundbäck recommends paying attention to the company you buy your strawberries from.

“The first thing you can do is look at the number the (mobile phone payment app) Swish payment goes to, to make sure it’s a company number starting with 123, and not a private number,” he said.

Most companies will have their Swish number displayed somewhere on the stand, so you should be able to check this even if you don’t have the app and are paying with card, for example.

He also added that you can pay attention to the age of the person selling the strawberries, describing very young sellers as a “red flag”.

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