On the organisation of criminal groups in Sweden: Insights from the encrypted chats

Talk by Kim Møller, Mamlø University.

Criminal groups in Sweden increasingly use market-based arrangements. Drawing on 192 court cases from 2018–2024 involving encrypted phone evidence, Kim analyzed governance structures across 41 criminal groups. Traditional theories emphasize network- or hierarchy based coordination, but findings show that many groups combine elements of trust, authority, and market transactions. Marketisation appears in practices such as hiring hitmen, outsourcing storage, using recruiters, and paying for specialized criminal services. Micro level case studies illustrate how violence, drug sales, and money laundering often involve subcontracted actors. A meso level model maps groups along axes of hierarchy and network strength, producing four ideal types, from loosely connected networks to highly hierarchical organizations similar to OMCGs or mafias. Empirical examples (e.g., NERO, Ali Khan, Shottaz, Vårbynätverket, Bandidos) show how groups evolve and differ in governance and reliance on external services. Overall, criminal groups function as hybrid organizations shaped by market dynamics.