Gangs in Sweden and Denmark are recruiting teenagers as hitmen through encrypted messaging apps, Europol warned Thursday, calling the trend a growing “violence-as-a-service” model.
Minors as young as 13 are being offered up to €20,000 ($22,966) to carry out shootings, bombings, and arson attacks. Many are lured via platforms like Snapchat, Telegram, and WhatsApp, where gangs use coded language and emojis to assign violent “missions.”
Europol said gangs exploit youth protection laws—particularly in Sweden, where minors face lighter penalties—making them ideal for carrying out attacks. The trend has led to deadly cross-border incidents, with at least 25 violent acts in Denmark since April linked to Swedish networks.
A new task force including Sweden, Denmark, and seven other European countries aims to disrupt recruitment, boost intelligence sharing, and explore legal reforms. Europol says over 70 percent of criminal markets now involve minors. Authorities also plan prevention campaigns, warning that many teens are radicalized online and never meet the criminals who direct them.
