Police raided the illegal gambling club Krukan in Stockholm's Södermalm district on Friday evening, in collaboration with Europol and Spanish authorities. Five men were arrested on suspicion of illegal gambling and money laundering, forming the core of a local criminal network. The operation involved nearly 150 officers and resulted in significant seizures of valuables.
The raid on the Krukan gambling club took place just before midnight on Friday, with drones and a helicopter over Södermalm. Police stormed the premises with drawn weapons, alongside the Swedish Gambling Authority, the Enforcement Authority, and Europol. Three men were arrested on site, where around 110 people were present, many as hobby players. Two more Swedish men were arrested in Murcia, Spain. In total, authorities targeted six locations in Stockholm and two in Spain.
The five men are suspected of serious illegal gambling, serious business money laundering, and related crimes. On Monday, two of those arrested in Sweden were detained by Stockholm District Court: a man in his 30s suspected of serious illegal gambling and serious business money laundering, and another for serious promotion of illegal gambling and serious business money laundering. The third man's detention was not decided at the time of reporting. The two in Spain are detained in absentia for similar suspicions.
One of the suspects has been linked to a previous incident where he stormed the F12 nightclub in Stockholm with individuals from the Södertälje network. Europol describes the network as violent, with illegal gambling as one branch, connected to narcotics trade in Sweden and the Nordic region. The operation is estimated to generate over 200 million kronor annually. Seizures included luxury watches, cash, narcotics, and other valuables worth several million kronor.
Prosecutor Karolina Lindekrantz says: “An incredible amount of seizures have been made and a lot of information has been gathered.” Police had previously tried to act against the club in 2020, but Stockholm city's inspection was closed without action. Property owner Lars Sundmark comments: “We have not been able to see anything suspicious about the activities conducted there.” Europol emphasizes that the operation is part of a strategy against networks with international connections.
