Sweden has recently witnessed an alarming rise in armed conflicts between immigrant gangs vying for control over the drug market. A particularly disturbing trend is the increasing involvement of children in these violent crimes, with children as young as ten years old participating in activities ranging from theft to cold-blooded murder. This development highlights the ease with which criminal gangs can recruit and use minors for their illicit purposes.
Youths are enticed by promises of excitement, status, and financial reward. Many of these children are desperate for belonging or earning money, making them easy targets for the gangs' manipulative tactics. 'You're only fifteen, bro. You'll only be in jail for two months, then you're out again with money,' are the kinds of messages that reporters from Dagens Nyheter have found in chat groups where criminal leaders communicate. It is through these networks that criminals recruit children to perform their 'dirty work', further emphasizing how easy it has become for gangs to hire young offenders with minimal consequences for the gangs themselves.