On the surface, an unassuming exchange office, but when the police in June 2020 raided the World Exchange on Södermalm in Stockholm, an extensive money laundering machinery was discovered behind its facade.
In the premises, SEK 15 million in cash was found hidden in hidden spaces, including above a ceiling.
Seized records revealed volumes of transactions involving 16 criminal networks.
Criminal profits of over SEK 220 million were laundered and passed on to the gangs, an activity which, according to the police, enabled large-scale drug deals in Sweden and abroad.
The crackdown was preceded by a long period of reconnaissance work during which the police were able to link well-known gang criminals to the premises.
"Bank for criminals"
In June last year, twelve people were charged, of which four were active at the exchange office and eight were connected to criminal networks or custody accounts at the office.
In February, the verdict was handed down at the Stockholm District Court.
This is what it sounded like when the verdict came down:
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Twelve people are sentenced for extensive money laundering in exchange offices.
Erland Koch, councilor at the Stockholm district court, described in connection with the judges how the exchange office functioned as a "bank for criminal networks and others active in the drug trade".
The most severe sentence, imprisonment for eight years and nine months, was given to the 52-year-old office manager who was in charge of the exchange office.
He was convicted of several serious money laundering offences, four serious drug offenses and two serious accounting offences.
Two employees were sentenced to prison for six and a half and five and a half years respectively.
A collaborator received five and a half years in prison.
100 kilos of amphetamine
Some of the transactions have gone through the informal hawala system, and have meant that large sums deposited in Stockholm have been able to be paid out in other countries in connection with drug deals.
The office manager, an employee and the partner were therefore convicted of serious drug offences.
Of the other eight, seven people were sentenced to prison and one to a suspended sentence.
The most severe sentence, eight years and six months in prison, was given to a man who was convicted of extremely serious drug smuggling of over 100 kilos of amphetamines and several serious money laundering offenses totaling SEK 38 million.
The district court verdict was appealed by the defense side and on Wednesday at 11 a.m. the Svea Court of Appeal will announce the verdict in the case.