Icelandic police join major Europol operation against organized crime
Smyril Line sails to and from Seyðisfjörður and is of course used for criminal activities by organized crime groups that transport stolen goods between countries. mbl.is/Árni Sæberg
Nearly 60 individuals have been taken into custody across the Baltic Sea region following a major international police operation targeting organized crime. The operation—coordinated by Swedish police and Europol—spanned ten European countries, including Iceland and Norway, and involved interventions with over 20,000 people and searches of 15,000 vehicles.
"This is a long-running Europol initiative, and we’ve participated in it for several years," said Óskar Þór Guðmundsson, detective inspector with the East Iceland police, in an interview with mbl.is. "It takes place twice a year, with representatives from participating countries coming together to operate a joint control center overseeing the coordination."
According to Mikael Eliasson, operations director with the Swedish police, the two-day operation resulted in the seizure of numerous assets, including motorcycles, cars, boats, and even animals. The primary objective was to disrupt organized criminal networks and intercept the transport of smuggled goods and stolen property.
Iceland’s role: Ferry routes and criminal transit
Detective Guðmundsson emphasized the cross-border nature of organized crime, noting that such groups are increasingly mobile and dangerous.
“These are criminal groups that move quickly between countries. They arrive, commit theft or fraud, and disappear again with stolen goods and cash,” he said. When asked specifically about Iceland’s vulnerability—particularly regarding the ferry Smyril Line (Norræna), which connects Iceland with mainland Europe—Guðmundsson confirmed its relevance.
“Of course, these groups use it as a transport route, just like any other. That’s why Iceland participates in these joint operations, in full cooperation with the Capital Area Police and law enforcement agencies across the country.”
Tighter control on outgoing goods
Asked about the smuggling of stolen goods out of Iceland, Guðmundsson said multiple routes are used.
“There’s a bit of everything. While we haven’t seen widespread use of the ferry for transporting stolen goods, it has occurred. More notably, seizures of undeclared cash at Keflavík Airport have increased significantly in the past two years,” he noted.
He also revealed that Icelandic authorities have stepped up monitoring of outgoing cargo shipments, including containers falsely declared as empty—a method used in previous smuggling cases.
“There’s been a strong focus on outbound goods over the past two years, especially with Smyril Line, and this is just as important as monitoring incoming passengers. We’re seeing as many cases arise from these checks as from within Iceland itself.”
Regional focus: Ports and borders
In Sweden, law enforcement concentrated efforts on ports and border crossings, areas where organized crime groups are known to operate.
“We directed our attention primarily to harbor zones, but also other entry and exit points,” said Eliasson in an interview with SVT, Sweden’s national broadcaster. “The overall result is a significantly increased police presence and stronger regional cooperation, which led to dozens of arrests and the recovery of a wide range of stolen property, including agricultural machinery.”
This coordinated initiative highlights the growing threat of transnational organized crime and underscores the importance of cross-border police collaboration in countering it.
