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Night after night, night after night, young people at the beginning of the year were in and out of the basement of an apartment building at Storholmsbackarna in Vårberg, southwest of Stockholm. None of them could have imagined that drug cops followed every step they took through small cameras in the ceiling. Money, drugs, and transfers all stuck on film.
The alleged league of a total of ten men and one woman is being prosecuted for serious drug offenses. The close-up film recordings are included, along with many intercepted conversations, in the evidence presented to the Södertörn District Court.
– Using what we call coercive coercive measures is really the only way to solve these types of crimes, because nobody in these circles wants to talk to the police, says chamber prosecutor Paulina Brandberg.
“This is serious organized crime,” said Chief Prosecutor Lars Ågren and District Attorney Paulina Brandberg, who is now prosecuting.
Photo: Magnus Hallgren
Not after either After reading the vast footage in custody, the suspects have chosen to answer a few questions.
– All the suspects deny the crime and say in principle only “no comment”.
During the police raid in February this year, just over seven kilos of cannabis were seized along with about 100 ecstasy pills and some portioned cocaine. Approximately 150,000 SEK were also found and have now been requested for confiscation. But according to prosecutors, the Vårberg League has handled significantly larger amounts of drugs and more money than that in what is internally called the “office” – a quantity of broken basement storage that the league has provided with new locks.
The league is suspected of taking over several warehouses in the basement of a property in Vårberg, owned by Svenska bostäder. The neighbors with whom DN spoke assure that for several months they avoided going down to the basement for fear of the gang that lived there.
Photo: Magnus Hallgren
– We believe this is a serious organized crime that takes a long time and carries a penalty of several years in prison, says Chief Prosecutor Lars Ågren, who ultimately led the preliminary investigation.
One of the accused, a 27-year-old Syrian citizen, is at risk of particularly severe punishment and even deportation. As the alleged leader, he is believed to have attracted at least two teenagers to the business, who will now be tried on the basis of legislation that has previously been used in cases of pimping and organized begging.
– We believe that the man has committed human trafficking by recruiting and exploiting young people for the sale of drugs, continues Chief Prosecutor Lars Ågren and believes that this may be the first accusation of this kind in the country.
The first alarms about open drug trafficking in Vårberg came in 2014. When the Human Trafficking Section of the Stockholm Police Region reinforced the local police last winter, eleven men and one woman were finally arrested.
Photo: Magnus Hallgren
Vårberg belongs to the vulnerable residential areas of Stockholm that have long been a place where large quantities of drugs are traded. As early as 2014, there were alarms that organizers in the area were exploiting children as young as eight. But despite some efforts by the police, the gangs that ran the business survived.
– This has been of great concern to the residents of Vårberg because open drug trafficking brings with it a number of different problems, says Lars Ågren.
Late last year The Skärholmen local police area received welcome help from Kungsholmen and the Regional Section Against Human Trafficking. Police Inspector Emir Gazibegovic was appointed to lead the reconnaissance, which initially went to various outlets around Vårbergs Centrum.
– That we could reach the warehouses and packing facilities was unthinkable from the beginning. But thanks to the wiretapping, we soon understood where the organization’s so-called “office” was located, he says.
“That we were able to reach the warehouses and packing facilities was unthinkable from the beginning,” says police inspector Emir Gazibegovic, who led the reconnaissance work.
Photo: Magnus Hallgren
– By taking us there when the suspects were sleeping, we managed to get a completely unique insight into the business.
What is basement storage used storing and packaging medicine, he says, has become increasingly common.
– This is by no means unique, there are even examples from other parts of Stockholm where criminals have moved and taken up residence in basements.
When DN visits the property in question, which is owned by Svenska bostäder, several residents express their relief at the end of the league’s presence.
– I ended up in several situations that were not pleasant at all, says a man who on a couple of occasions confronted people in the basement.
Svenska bostäder, the owner of the property in question, claims that she knew nothing about the league’s activities in the basement.
Photo: Magnus Hallgren
Swedish housing Communications manager Jonas Elamson says he is unaware of this or other similar cases.
– Safety issues are important to us and we work hard to strengthen shell protection so that basement facilities are safe.
The trial will start at the Södertörn District Court next Tuesday. In addition to the 27-year-old main defendant, 10 alleged league members aged 17-22 and about 10 clients are on trial.
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