Headlines
Turkey arrests one of Sweden's most-wanted suspected gang leaders
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Swedish gang leader Ismail Abdo was arrested in Turkey during a major drug raid, marking a significant step in combating organized crime.
By Johan Ahlander and Ezgi Erkoyun
STOCKHOLM/ISTANBUL (Reuters) -One of Sweden's most-wanted suspected gang leaders was taken into custody in Turkey on Friday during a raid on suspected drug traffickers, in what Swedish police described as a major success in the battle against organised crime.
"The arrest is the result of targeted work over time between the Turkish and Swedish judicial systems," Swedish police said in a statement.
The statement did not identify the suspect, but a Swedish police source and Turkey's TRT Haber state television broadcaster said he was Ismail Abdo, 35, a Swedish-Turkish dual citizen.
More than 12 people have been killed in Sweden since 2023, including Abdo's mother, in what police have described as a gang war between Abdo and a former ally.
TRT Haber reported that Abdo was among 19 suspects detained as part of a major investigation into organised criminal groups involved in international drug trafficking and money laundering.
Authorities also seized assets worth around 1.5 billion Turkish lira ($38 million). Arrest warrants were issued for a further 21 suspects, with four still at large, 14 believed to be abroad and three already in custody on other charges.
In Sweden, the capture of Abdo will provide a major boost for the police and for the right-wing government, which won the 2022 election on a promise to stop a gang crime wave that has plagued the country for over a decade.
(Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Ezgi ErkoyunEditing by Peter Graff)
Ismail Abdo, a 35-year-old Swedish-Turkish dual citizen, was arrested during a raid on suspected drug traffickers.
The arrest was part of a major investigation into organized criminal groups involved in international drug trafficking and money laundering.
The capture of Abdo is expected to provide a significant boost for the Swedish police and the right-wing government, which aims to combat the ongoing gang crime wave.
Alongside Abdo, 19 suspects were detained as part of the operation targeting organized crime.
Authorities seized assets worth approximately 1.5 billion Turkish lira, equivalent to about $38 million.
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