Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf has expressed public concern over the number of shootings and explosions across the country that are often linked to gang crime.
The Swedish monarch spoke out about the recent trend saying during a meeting with senior Swedish police officials alongside his daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, saying: “The anxiety that these actions cause to the public is shared by me and my family.”
His Royal Highness added in comments reported by Die Welt that he and the Swedish royal household supported the police and other branches of law enforcement while sympathising with the families of victims of shootings and other acts of violence.
Shootings and explosions have become a major issue in Sweden this year with the country seeing at least 120 explosive incidents from January to July, a figure up 45 per cent compared to the previous year.
The southern multicultural city of Malmö has seen a particularly high number of explosive incidents so far in 2019, including three explosions in a span of just 24 hours earlier in the year.
A large explosion in Copenhagen in neighbouring Denmark also occurred this year and it was later revealed that the suspects behind the blast, which occurred at a Tax Authority building, were Swedes from the city of Malmö.
As a result of the increase in explosions and continued gang violence, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has commissioned an investigation into the problem, and invited all political parties, aside from the populist Sweden Democrats, to participate in discussions on the topic.
Special investigator Kazimir Åberg has proposed new policies to combat the issue including increasing the maximum sentence for firearms offences from six to seven years in prison and to give more power to customs officials to intercept firearms and explosive devices shipped from overseas.
While giving more power to customs officials and border police could reduce weapons being smuggled from the Balkans, investigators have also noted an increase in robberies at construction sites of explosives as well.
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