Police conducted a major raid on the illegal poker club Krukan in Södermalm, Stockholm, on Friday evening, drawing sharp criticism for excessive force. Three men were detained on suspicion of serious money laundering and illegal gambling, while around 80 players were forced to sit on the floor for hours. Swedish Poker Federation chair Mauritz Altikardes condemns the operation's aggressive approach.
Late Friday evening, just before midnight, police raided the illegal gambling club Krukan in a basement under a residential building in Södermalm, Stockholm. The operation involved the Swedish Gambling Authority, the Enforcement Authority, and Europol, with links to criminal networks in Södertälje. Three men—one in his 30s and two in their 40s—were detained on suspicion of unauthorized gambling operations and serious money laundering. Around 80 people were participating in an ongoing poker tournament when armed officers stormed in, causing chaos.
Several witnesses describe aggressive handling: officers shouted and swore, forcing everyone to the floor with hands over their heads and detaining them for over three hours. An anonymous player recounts: "They just stormed in. We didn't know if it was police or robbers." Another says: "I was terrified, thought it was a shooting about to happen. They rushed in with drawn weapons." Some were threatened with tasers for bathroom requests, one urinated out of fear, and another was left bloody in the face. Many initially believed it was a robbery or shooting.
Mauritz Altikardes, chair of the Swedish Poker Federation, criticizes the operation as oversized. "It's players from all walks of life playing a small tournament. For the special forces to storm in like that... we think that reaction is completely unreasonable," he says. He notes that playing cards is not illegal, but the venue lacked a license. Altikardes links the lack of legal options to Casino Cosmopol's closure in April 2025 and calls for simpler licensing rules to curb illegal activities. Stockholm police have not commented on the criticism.