€20M Nordic gambling empire crushed: drugs, trafficking, and money-laundering exposed

The Spanish National Police and the Swedish Police Authority carried out a law enforcement operation in Spain and Sweden between November 28th and 29th, 2025.

Approximately 150 police officers participated in the operation. Six premises in Stockholm, Sweden, and two in Murcia, Spain, were searched for illegal contraband and other proof of criminal activities. Five key suspects were arrested during the raids, three in Sweden and two in Spain.

Officers found and confiscated cash, luxury watches, and other valuables worth over several hundred thousand euros. During a home search in Sweden, officers found evidence that the property had been used as an illegal gambling club, with an estimated annual turnover of €20 million.

The Swedish Police Authority also seized drugs that were meant for resale to reinforce the group’s influence in local and regional Nordic markets. There were also signs of human trafficking and money laundering services for both the network and other criminal groups.

“The suspects form the core of a local criminal network known for its use of violence and intimidation, allowing the group to secure revenues, enforce debts, and control sections of the illegal gambling market in the Stockholm area. By offering services to other criminals, the group operated as a key facilitator within the wider criminal environment,” Europol said in a statement.

Europol coordinated the international operation and made sure that all evidence gathered would be available to both Spanish and Swedish police authorities.

Earlier this week, Europol and law enforcement authorities from Germany and Switzerland announced they had helped in dismantling a cryptocurrency mixing service that was potentially used in laundering illegally obtained revenues and other criminal activities.

Law enforcement agencies recovered 12TB of data and more than €25 million worth of cryptocurrency.

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