A new investigation proposes allowing police to use provocative measures, such as posing as drug buyers or children selling sex online. The proposals also include creating AI-generated fictional child pornography to infiltrate pedophile networks. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer welcomes the investigation as a step to strengthen crime fighting.
Government investigator Stefan Johansson handed over a report to Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M) on Monday, November 3, 2025, proposing a new law to regulate police use of crime provocations. The aim is to provide police with clearer tools to investigate serious crimes, especially in digital environments where criminality moves to closed forums.
The investigation proposes that police can pose as a drug buyer to get suspected sellers to reveal possession, or as a child offering sexual services online to identify sex offenders. A particularly controversial proposal is allowing police to create and share fictional child pornographic images using AI in preliminary investigations of gross sex crimes against children or child pornography offenses. This is intended to enable entry into pedophile networks and stop planned abuses.
“This will advance crime fighting,” says Strömmer. Investigator Johansson emphasizes: “We create the legal framework, but police must follow all laws, and the material must not depict real children.”
Provocations should only be used in investigations of significant importance, with minimum penalties of one year's imprisonment for suspects, or two years to investigate unknown perpetrators. Measures can target persons under 15 for gross crimes like preparation for murder. Other countries like Denmark and Norway have similar capabilities. The investigation is now going out for consultation and is proposed to enter into force on March 1, 2027.
Strömmer highlights that sex crimes against children are difficult to investigate due to lack of witnesses and anonymous contacts. “Digitalization of criminality requires additional methods,” he says.
