Learning to Counter Modern Organized Crime: Sweden’s Perspective for Ukraine
November 06, 2025
Can modern, technologically equipped organized crime be defeated? And how can this be done effectively? These were the core questions explored by members of the Ukrainian delegation of law enforcement officers and researchers during their study visit to Sweden, facilitated by the EUAM’s Lviv Field Office.
Throughout the visit, Swedish experts demonstrated how coordinated inter-agency cooperation can successfully counter organized crime – by simultaneously targeting its lower operational levels (armed robbers and killers) and its high-level “intellectual and managerial circles” by disrupting their financial schemes and networks. Swedish experts shared how they reinforce resilience against organized crime and promote cooperation between law enforcement, academia, and the private sector.
The Ukrainian delegation visited the Södertörn School of Police Studies, Södertälje local police district, the Council of the Baltic Sea States. The delegation also took part in the international conference “How can law enforcement and academia collaborate to commission and apply research?”. By combining practical and theoretical aspects, the visit highlighted how cooperation between law-enforcers and academics can drive development needed to keep law enforcement one step ahead of constantly evolving organised crime groups.
Ukrainian representatives presented national approaches to countering organized crime during the war – a topic that generated strong interest. One of the Ukrainian participants reflected: “Law enforcement agencies in Europe need to pay more attention not only to proliferation of weapons and ammunition, but also to individuals who have combat experience and know how to operate various types of weapons, including drones.”
The study visit was more than a professional exchange, it helped to built bridges between two law enforcement communities – Ukrainian and Swedish – committed to building safer, more resilient societies.
“You’ve seen how cooperation, decentralization, trust and education create real strength against organized crime. These lessons will guide your own reforms in Ukraine”, Torbjorn Hermansson, EUAM Senior Adviser on Organized Crime emphasized in the end of the study trip.
