A new form of organized crime is raising concern in several European countries: the recruitment of teenagers for assassinations and violent attacks. According to authorities and Europol, young people are being approached online, lured with money, and used as disposable links in the chain of violence.
Recruitment through social media and apps
At the center of the suspicions is the Swedish criminal network Foxtrot, accused of recruiting young people through social media. According to the authorities’ account, teenagers are promised sums of money and then sent step-by-step instructions through communication apps.
The mechanism described by investigators is built like a “game,” with tasks assigned in stages and control over the perpetrator gradually increasing. According to the investigation, the scheme is designed to exploit their young age and vulnerability.
The case that shocked Sweden
One of the most serious episodes is that of 18-year-old Swede Atilla Azimov, sentenced to life imprisonment after mistakenly killing a 20-year-old in the outskirts of Stockholm. According to the investigation, he had been hired by the Foxtrot network in exchange for payment.
Swedish authorities suspect that this network has been involved in dozens of killings and attacks since 2022. Investigations have also revealed suspected links to the interests of the Iranian regime in several operations in Europe, a lead that remains under investigative verification.
The United Kingdom also on the map of the scheme
Another case cited by investigators is that of Norwegian Johannes Natland, convicted of planning a murder in the United Kingdom. According to the investigation, he had been contacted online and had received instructions about the weapons and the target’s location.
The attack was not carried out, as he was arrested before he could commit it. The case strengthens suspicions that the recruitment model is not limited to a single country, but is circulating across several European jurisdictions.
Europol: “Murder as a service” is expanding
According to Europol, the phenomenon known as “Murder as a service” is affecting an increasing number of countries across the continent. A task force involving 11 countries is investigating the networks that recruit vulnerable young people for criminal acts.
Experts warn that criminal groups are targeting younger ages because they are easier to manipulate and often do not weigh the legal consequences. Although some key Foxtrot figures have been arrested, authorities say the model is now being copied by other groups as well.
The picture emerging from the investigations is that of a criminal market adapting to digital tools and lowering the age of those carrying out the attacks.
This is precisely what makes the phenomenon more worrying: not only the outsourced violence, but the way it is being packaged as ordinary online communication in order to recruit young people.