Spanish police announced on Wednesday the arrest of various people who allegedly recruited Swedish and Danish minors to commit crimes using explosive devices.

According to Policia Nacional, three Swedish citizens, including a minor, were arrested in Alicante in connection with the network’s recruitment of potential murderers through a Telegram channel.

The operation started in May 2024 with the arrest of a Swedish minor in Benalmádena, Malaga province, who was allegedly recruited by the group operating in Alicante.

After being contacted online, he travelled to Spain to murder the leader of a rival gang. The attempt was thwarted by police action, officials said. At the same time and in a coordinated action, two other minors, also of Swedish nationality, who had travelled to Denmark with the intention of committing another murder, were arrested in Denmark, according to Spanish police officials.

The second phase of the operation was aimed at locating, identifying and arresting the members of the organisation who recruited these minors, commissioned the murders, conducted arms and drugs trafficking and laundered money.

The investigation revealed that the criminal network included a married couple and their youngest son who played a key role in the recruitment and payment of other minors responsible for committing the murders. He was arrested in his base of Alicante.

The operation to dismantle the criminal gang was carried out in a joint effort between the Swedish and Danish police forces, and was coordinated by EUROPOL and EUROJUST.

Video editor • Rory Elliott Armstrong