Three Europe’s Most Wanted fugitives arrested in Morocco
Two Swedes and a Dane suspected of commissioning violence in Europe were arrested in Morocco in September. Europol links the arrests to an operation targeting the organizers of crimes carried out remotely, often by young recruits.
In its October 2 statement, Europol reported five arrests in Morocco, Spain and France. Two of the suspects arrested in the kingdom were listed on the EU Most Wanted website, which publishes profiles of some of Europe’s most wanted fugitives.
On Bladi.net : Tangier: End of the run for a French drug lord wanted by Interpol
The first, a 28-year-old Dane, was arrested on September 12 in Tangier. He is wanted for commissioning murders and kidnappings. His profile was published in June.
A 21-year-old Swede was also arrested in Tangier in September. Suspected of holding a leadership position in the Foxtrot criminal network, he was wanted for ordering violence in Sweden and Norway. He had been listed on EU Most Wanted since April.
The third arrest took place on September 25 in Agadir. It involved a 31-year-old Swede wanted in two cases involving the planning of murder. Swedish police describe him as a central figure in directing the network’s violent activities and drug trafficking.
Commissioning a crime from abroad
These cases fall under the GRIMM task force, established in April 2025 to combat what Europol calls “violence as a service.” Networks outsource assaults or murders while their organizers remain at a distance.
Recruitment takes place in particular on messaging apps and social media. Money, prestige and a sense of belonging are among the promises used to attract young people, sometimes minors with no criminal experience. Other intermediaries supply weapons, arrange travel or handle payments.
To trace the organizers, GRIMM cross-references intelligence and coordinates investigations across several countries. Its first-year report records 280 suspects arrested and more than 14 000 accounts identified during investigations.
The work also focuses on digital platforms used to approach recruits. Europol describes an organized recruitment process that exploits their vulnerabilities and stages a luxurious lifestyle to draw them into violent activities.
On Bladi.net : Wanted for murder in Toulouse, French national found in Tangier
The arrests in Morocco add to those made in Sitges, Spain, and then in Paris on September 29. The latter targeted a man in his twenties suspected of recruiting perpetrators and instigating the planning of a murder.
