Swedish authorities confirmed on Tuesday that a senior figure in the country's most violent criminal syndicate, the Foxtrot network, has been detained in Tunisia. The arrest, carried out over the weekend by Tunisian police, targets a man in his early thirties suspected of multiple violent crimes, including murder.
In a statement, Sweden's National Operations Department (NOA) described the individual as a “central actor” within the organization. Niclas Andersson, head of the NOA's investigation unit, said: “We consider this to be a strategically important arrest which we believe will impact the criminal network's ability to carry out violent crime.” The operation was the result of close cooperation between Swedish and Tunisian law enforcement agencies.
Public broadcaster SVT identified the arrested man as Mohamed “Moewgli” Mohdhi, reportedly the right-hand man of Foxtrot leader Rawa Majid. Majid, who is believed to be based abroad, founded the network in the late 2010s. Foxtrot is centered around Stockholm and Uppsala, Majid's hometown, and has been linked to dozens of violent incidents across Sweden.
Violence as a Service
The arrest is part of Operation Grimm, a Swedish-led initiative targeting the phenomenon known as “violence as a service.” This involves the online recruitment of individuals—often minors—to carry out violent acts on behalf of criminal bosses, many of whom operate from outside the country. The Foxtrot network has been a key player in this trend, which has fueled a surge in gang-related shootings and bombings.
Sweden has struggled for over a decade to contain gang violence, primarily driven by score-settling and control of the drug market. According to police data released earlier this month, 23 innocent bystanders have been killed and 30 wounded in gangland shootings over the past three years. The violence has prompted national soul-searching and increased pressure on the government to act.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who took office in 2022 on a platform of cracking down on crime, has made the issue a top priority. The arrest in Tunisia follows a similar success in July 2025, when Swedish police announced the capture of Ismael Abdo, the head of Foxtrot's rival Rumba organization, in Turkey. These cross-border operations highlight the international dimension of Sweden's gang problem, with leaders often orchestrating violence from safe havens abroad.
The Foxtrot network's influence extends beyond Sweden's borders, reflecting a broader European challenge. Similar patterns of organized crime and online recruitment have been observed in other Nordic countries and across the continent. The arrest of Mohdhi is a significant step, but experts caution that dismantling such networks requires sustained international cooperation.
As Sweden continues to grapple with the fallout of gang violence, the arrest in Tunisia offers a rare moment of progress. However, the underlying drivers—social inequality, weak integration, and a lucrative drug trade—remain deeply entrenched. The coming months will test whether law enforcement gains can translate into lasting peace on the streets of Stockholm and Uppsala.
