One of Sweden’s most wanted gang leader, Ismail Abdo, has been arrested in Turkey, the Swedish prosecutor’s office confirmed on Friday. Abdo, a 35-year-old dual Swedish-Turkish national, is known by the nickname “The Strawberry” and is a well-known leader of the Rumba crime gang in Sweden. He has an extensive list of drug-related charges against him, according to Interpol, and has been the subject of a red notice since last year.
Abdo is accused of orchestrating illegal operations from abroad and is suspected of having engaged in serious drug trafficking and inciting serious violent crimes for many years in Sweden. He was one of 19 people arrested during raids in Turkey, where officers seized more than a tonne of drugs. The exact location of the raids has not been revealed. Arrest warrants were issued for a further 21 suspects, of whom 14 were believed to be abroad and three already in custody on other charges. Four are still at large.
Turkish authorities reportedly seized assets worth around 1.5 billion Turkish lira (£27.8 million or $38 million), including 20 vehicles, bank accounts, and 51 real estate properties. This significant seizure highlights the scope of Abdo’s alleged criminal activities and the efforts of Turkish law enforcement to disrupt his operations.
The arrest marks a significant development in Sweden’s efforts to combat gang-related crime, which has escalated in recent years. Abdo’s former friend, Rawa Majida, is the leader of a rival gang, Foxtrot, and their deadly turf war has resulted in many killings. The conflict entered a new, violent chapter in 2023 when Abdo’s mother was murdered in her home in Uppsala, north of the capital, Stockholm. This event prompted the government to bring in the army to help tackle the surge in gang killings.
Sweden’s centre-right governing coalition, which promised to end the gang crime wave when it was elected in 2022, will see Abdo’s capture as a win. However, the fact that he is also a Turkish citizen could complicate the extradition process. According to Public Prosecutor Daniel Jonsson, Abdo will not be extradited to Sweden due to his Turkish citizenship. Instead, he will face legal proceedings in Turkey.
The arrest is the result of a long and targeted effort in cooperation between Turkish and Swedish police. Mats Berggren, acting deputy head of Noa, praised the international cooperation, stating, “We have good, close international cooperation with many countries, and Turkey is one of them.” The Swedish police have been working to get Abdo home for some time now.
An estimated 14,000 people in Sweden are caught up in criminal gangs, according to a police report last year, and a further 48,000 people are said to be connected to them. The increase in gang violence has plagued some of Sweden’s biggest cities and spread to quieter suburbs and towns, shattering its reputation as a safe and peaceful nation.