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Stockholm police seize record number of guns

The Local Sweden
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Stockholm police seize record number of guns

The number of illegal weapons in Stockholm is growing. So far this year 171 pistols and submachine guns have been reported, according to police, an increase of 25 percent since last year.

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If the trend continues, all points to a record year for illegal guns seized in Stockholm, reports daily Svenska Dagbladet (SvD)

Though it is still unusual that young offenders are caught with illegal weapons, an increase is discernible here too, according to police.

“Those who are getting more involved in advanced criminal circles will be making enemies. With contacts in criminal gangs they need access to weapons,“ said Jörgen Olsson of the west Stockholm police, specializing in your crime, to the paper.

According to Olsson, there are two reasons for the increase of weapons in Stockholm.

On the one hand the number of loosely attached gangs of youths on the fringes of larger gangs are growing, and they are quickly making enemies.

On the other hand shop owners are getting used to youths coming in with some sort of weapon, and they want to be able to defend themselves.

According to Mats Lindström, of the Stockholm police, officers are finding mostly pistols, although they are seeing an increase in automatic rifles as well and even hand grenades have been confiscated recently.

“You really don’t want stoned teenagers carrying hand grenades,” said Lindström to SvD.

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