This is how tons of drugs are smuggled into Sweden - a large survey of serious criminals

Last year, the French police hacked the encryption service Encrochat, and thus gained access to large amounts of communication between professional criminals.

Swedish police gained access to the material - and with the help of it have detained over 230 people.

In a report, the police's national operational department, Noa, has analyzed large parts of the communication between the criminals.

The report focuses on two parts of organized crime: drug smuggling and illicit influence.

Much of what has emerged confirms what the police previously thought - but there are surprises.

- It is primarily the drug market that is significantly more extensive than previous studies have shown, says Linda H Staaf, head of intelligence at Noa.

"Industrial scale"

Noa writes in the report that drug smuggling is "conducted on an almost industrial scale" - it is estimated that between 100 and 150 tonnes of drugs are brought into Sweden every year, mainly via freight traffic.

A total of 84 key players in drug smuggling have been identified.

They are men, most of them 30-39 years old, and they are mainly found in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.

But there are also international organizers who are abroad.

Some of the criminal networks have their own production in Spain, where large quantities of cannabis are grown for the Swedish market.

Pressure on officials

The report also examines how serious criminals in various ways have connections to officials, lawyers, police and politicians.

In total, about 40 cases of so-called unauthorized influence have been found, both attempted and completed crimes.

One group that occurs frequently is bank officials, who in various ways help criminals to commit crimes.

For example, large loans are granted to criminals.

One of the bank employees is said to take 450,000 to grant a loan of SEK 3.5 million.

Corruption is being investigated

Government and municipal officials are also included in the material.

- This is serious and therefore it is extremely important that both public administration and the private sector work to increase knowledge and increase security work, says Linda H Staaf.

Several criminal investigations have been initiated regarding unauthorized influence.

- In all cases where there is reason to assume that a crime has been committed, a preliminary investigation is initiated.