Denmark’s Ministry of Justice (Justitsministeriet) has unveiled a comprehensive package of nine initiatives aimed at curbing the rise of “violence-as-a-service” and dismantling criminal networks based on family ties. Announced on Monday by Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard, the measures seek to address the growing trend of Danish gangs recruiting foreign nationals, particularly Swedish youths, to commit violent crimes on Danish soil.
Combatting the “violence-as-a-service” model
The new legislative push comes in response to data from the National Special Crime Unit (National Enhed for Særlig Kriminalitet – NSK), which highlights a shift in the operational methods of the Scandinavian underworld. Since April 2024, authorities have identified 59 cases involving 237 charges potentially linked to hired violence.
This model, described by authorities as violence-as-a-service, involves established gang members hiring external actors to carry out serious crimes, including shootings and assaults. A significant portion of these cases involves young people from Sweden crossing the border to execute attacks, a trend that has challenged Danish law enforcement over the past two years.
“Organised criminals are becoming increasingly creative and unscrupulous,” Hummelgaard stated during the press conference. “We will not tolerate gangs hiring young Swedes to do their dirty work in Denmark.”
Expanding the “Gang Paragraph” to families
A central pillar of the new strategy is the modification of the so-called “gang paragraph” (bandeparagraffen), a legal provision that allows for significantly doubled sentences for crimes committed as part of a gang conflict. The government intends to expand this definition to include criminal families, effectively treating them with the same severity as traditional street gangs.
According to a report by the Danish National Police (Rigspolitiet) from December 2025, authorities are currently monitoring 17 specific criminal families comprising approximately 700 members. Notably, nearly one-third of these members are children under the age of 15. The new measures aim to provide prosecutors with better tools to break the cycle of generational crime.
“We will not passively watch as crime becomes a family affair,” Hummelgaard added, emphasising the need to disrupt networks where criminal behaviour is passed down through generations.
Stricter penalties and implementation
The proposed legislative package includes sharper sentencing guidelines intended to deter the outsourcing of violence. Key measures include:
- Penalty increase for ordering crimes: A penalty increase of up to one-third for individuals who order or facilitate criminal acts, targeting the “architects” behind the violence rather than just the perpetrators.
- Public violence: A penalty increase of up to two-thirds for crimes committed in groups in public spaces involving firearms or other dangerous weapons.
The Ministry of Justice plans to send the bill for public consultation shortly. If approved, the general initiatives are expected to enter into force on 1 July 2026, while specific measures regarding violence-as-a-service are scheduled for implementation on 1 January 2027.
