Around 90 arrested in drug bust in Oslo East

Oslo East Police carPolice car. Photo: Norway Today Media

Around 90 arrested in action against criminal networks in Oslo East

Around 90 people are arrested in an ongoing major action against criminal networks in southeastern parts of the capital. 25 of them were arrested in Oslo East during the last week. 5 persons are detained.

 

– In the last week, 25 people are arrested in a major effort against criminal networks in Oslo. This is part of an increased effort that has been going on in recent months, says serious crime officer at the Oslo police, Grete Lien Metlid.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the police reveal that they have arrested nearly 70 others in earlier stages of the investigation, which has been ongoing for several months. Police say they want to weaken criminal networks that have led to insecurity for citizens in Oslo East / South-East.

– We have been told about episodes of violence, threats and drug crime in the area that have developed in a negative direction, says police chief Jon Roger Lund at Stovner Police Station, who at the same time confirms that the police have made several major drug seizures.

Kindergartens and schools

Metlid states that functional weapons have also been seized, but will not specify where they were found. However, Lund can confirm that the police have found drug depots in kindergartens and schools without further elaboration.

The police say they look very serious about the situation. they are particularly concerned about the fact that the criminal networks recruit children and adolescents far below 18 years as drug sellers.

– Our goal is to weaken these networks permanently and prevent further recruitment, Lund says, stressing that the investigation is at an early stage.

Five in custody

During the investigation, more criminal cases have been reported, which the police will not yet provide details about.

However, in a press release Tuesday, the police reported that five people were detained last week and were charged with drug offenses. They are also imposing a letter and a ban on visits for four weeks and complete isolation for two weeks, according to the detention order.

The police identified three of them men aged 23, 22 and 20, respectively, through camera surveillance of an area where drugs were deposited in a depot in the forest. All three were arrested on June 27, according to Oslo Court’s detention order.

The court does not attach great trust in the 22-year-old’s explanation that he had wandered into the woods to look for house keys along with three comrades in the vicinity of a place where an IKEA bag with marijuana was stashed. According to VG, the 22-year-old does not admit culpability.

The oldest explains that he did not “know anything about his friends searching for drugs in the woods”. The youngest was not present during the detention meeting.

The other two, 18 and 20 years old, respectively, were arrested a week earlier. Both were detained on 23 June. Other than that, the ruling gives no further details about the arrests.

Larger investigation

Of all the rulings yesterday it emerged that the police are in a very early phase of a larger investigation “with likely more people involved.” The court heard that it was very important that they get to do this work unimpeded by interference from the accused or other persons with interests in case.

In one of the cases, the report shows that “there is a significant dealing in drugs in the Holmlia district and that this is organized.”

Police also point out to the court that they are actively working to uncover traffickers and that further arrests not can be ruled out.

According to NRK, the other detainees include both youngsters and adults, and several of them are linked to the Søndre Nordstrand district in Oslo.

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today