Police raided the illegal gambling club Krukan on Södermalm in Stockholm on Friday evening as part of a major operation against organized crime. Three men were detained in Sweden, and two more Swedes have been arrested in Spain on suspicion of gross illegal gambling and money laundering. They await extradition to Sweden.
The operation targeted organized crime and involved police, the Swedish Gambling Authority, the Enforcement Authority, and Europol. The raid took place on Friday evening at the Krukan gambling club, located in a basement of a residential building on Södermalm. At the club, 110 people were checked and 15 were questioned. Three men were detained following house searches at other addresses in Stockholm.
Additional raids occurred simultaneously at several locations in the region. The detained in Sweden are suspected to be linked to organized crime in Södertälje. Police received support from Europol experts in cryptocurrency and IT forensics, as the crime is both local and global, according to Detective Chief Inspector Gunnar Appelgren.
The two Swedes in Spain were arrested on Saturday or Sunday after the prosecutor issued a European arrest warrant. They had been detained in absentia and were located there. 'They are in custody awaiting transfer to Sweden,' says police spokesperson Rebecca Landberg. Prosecutor Karolina Lindekrantz, leading the investigation, states that their presence in Spain was known and they are suspected of committing the crimes with others.
Suspicions involve gross illegal gambling and gross money laundering. According to the prosecutor, they handled cash, bank assets, and cryptocurrency worth about 10 million SEK per month, totaling 230 million SEK over the period. The club has conducted illegal activities, including high-stakes poker, for several years. The operation aimed to arrest individuals, secure evidence, and seize assets.
A poker player who visited the club on Friday has filed a complaint with the Parliamentary Ombudsman regarding the police action.