On the evening of May 23, 2018, a homemade bomb detonates in an apartment in Sandviken. Shortly before, one of the two perpetrators has moved the apartment by jumping from the balcony, which is nine meters above ground level.

In the Stockholm District Court, it later emerges that the knife-armed men have penetrated the wrong family - to claim them for money from an alleged drug debt.

SVT News has gone through four judgments from 2018 and 2019 that have one thing in common: Cobra 8.

May cause fatal injuries

Tiger shots, China puffs and Treöres. These are some of the classic firecrackers that were banned on January 1, 2002. At the same time, a black market has been created where fireworks and firecrackers are smuggled into Sweden. And as in the case of Cobra 8, they are used in crime.

Cobra 8 is an Italian firefighter to be handled by professionals. In a judgment, Falu tingskreis states that "there is a risk of serious or fatal injuries in direct contact". At Hässleholm district court, you cite a statement from FOI describing what injuries Cobra 8 can cause: " Traumatic amputation injuries, for example loss of fingers if Cobra 8 explodes in direct contact with the body ".

In early 2018, NFC went out and warned that the use of bangers, and often Cobra 8, has increased significantly. In 2017, the police in Malmö handled some 60 explosions - half of the times Cobra 8 was used.

"The same blast effect as a hand grenade"

Since November 1, 2017, thanks to a new law, the Customs Administration can seize explosive goods imported into Sweden from another EU country and the authority claims that the smuggling has decreased, even though the authority has not yet determined figures for the number of seizures made in 2019.

- It has gone down considerably. This may also be due to a tightening of sales from certain EU countries, which has made it more difficult to send, says Jonas Karlsson, an expert at the Customs Administration.

According to the mother of the family, one of the perpetrators must have said "now you can fly" before he lit the bomb and jumped down from the 9 meter high balcony. The blast occurred in Sandviken in May 2018. Photo: SVT

You give high priority to drugs and weapons because of the social benefits, but what about fireworks and firecrackers?

- We also take it seriously because they cause very great damage. It should be clear that a Cobra 8 has the same blasting effect as a hand grenade. The difference is that the hand grenade has a splash effect that does more damage than a Cobra. However, you can burn your fingers and hands.

"Been relatively constant in recent years"

According to the National Forensic Center, NFC, Cobra 8 continues to be popular with criminals nonetheless.

- I have no figures on what is used most but there is Cobra 8. We also have no figures that can show trends or that it has decreased. My view is that it has been relatively constant in recent years. They are dangerous, illegal and should not be in Sweden at all, according to Annika Carlsson, head of the Chemicals and Engineering section.

Is your assessment that these firefighters are still used by gang criminals?

- I would say that. Cobra 8 is not the only problem but they do occur.

"Is full in class with explosives"

The Swedish Fireworks Industry Association is also concerned.

- This is a purely security issue. These products are to be handled by persons with special education and in Sweden they are also in principle prohibited by the public. We do not know how much that comes in illegally, but some of what comes in is fully in class with explosives, says chairman Erik Nilsson.