Around the corner from Mariatorget on Södermalm in Stockholm was the exchange office World Exchange, which for years aroused the police's suspicions after famous criminals got there with their money.

Bank for drug money

Despite secret camera surveillance since 2019, it was not until the spring of 2020 - through information that came via Encrochat that French police hacked - that the evidence was strengthened against representatives of the exchange office and gang criminals.

In a house search, bags of cash were found in hidden spaces, for example above the ceiling panels.

The bags were marked with handwritten notes with nicknames of people who according to the investigation are known gang criminals.

According to the investigation, 16 criminal networks have used the exchange office World Exchange as their bank for drug money.

According to the investigation, one of these bags of cash belongs to a 32-year-old who has been singled out as the leader of the criminal Vårbyn network.

He is suspected of having had 2.6 million in the office that was used for trafficking in, among other things, cocaine.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Serious money laundering crime and extremely serious drug crime

On Tuesday, the trial begins in Stockholm District Court against those responsible for the exchange office and several suspected drug smugglers who are suspected of, among other things, a serious money laundering crime and a particularly serious drug crime.

Everyone denies the crime.

In addition to storing and collecting money here, criminals have been able to withdraw large sums abroad - without the authorities' transparency - via the so-called hawala system.

- You hand in money here and you can collect the corresponding amount in, for example, the Netherlands and Spain, says Magnus Sohlén, group manager at the police investigation unit in the Stockholm Region.

More charges are expected

A similar investigation is also underway against three exchange offices in Malmö, where charges are expected after the summer.

The police, prosecutors and the supervisory authority, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, all agree that supervision of similar activities and their representatives must be tightened up properly in order to be able to access organized crime.

 - You may need a more comprehensive permit where there are more requirements for organization and give us more opportunities to conduct supervision over this institute.

Because today it is easier for some institutes.

We do not have a full supervisory mandate, says Åsa Thalén, head of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority's department for operational risks.