ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Prominent Swedish gang leader Poya Shafie was extradited from Iraq to Sweden on Thursday, following a coordinated effort, Swedish media reported.

Shafie was reportedly a close affiliate of the criminal Foxtrot Network leader Rawa Majid also known as “the Kurdish Fox.” The Foxtrot Network has been a dominant force in Sweden’s criminal underworld since the late 2010s, and is deeply involved in narcotics trafficking, shootings, bombings, and other violent crimes.

In March, the United States sanctioned Majid over his alleged involvement in arms and drug trafficking and for reportedly cooperating with Iran in “attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in Europe.”

“The man is assessed to have been influential in a violence-driven criminal network and is suspected of being behind several serious violent crimes that occurred in Sweden during the violence-stricken beginning of 2023,” Swedish police said in a statement.

Shafie was internationally wanted and is suspected of serious crimes, including involvement in attempted murder, several murders, and bombings in the Stockholm area and Sundsvall. The 29-year-old is also suspected of having a role in several serious narcotic and weapon offenses. 

He was arrested in Iraq where he was hiding, following a “red notice” by Interpol in 2023. He was arrested a year later and has been held by Iraqi authorities since, the prominent daily Aftonbladet reported.

On Thursday he was extradited to Sweden where he was detained at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport, Swedish media said.

The police released a photo showing Shafie with Rawa Majid in the Kurdistan Region in 2020.

His arrest comes as Sweden has ramped up cooperation on security in the region to arrest wanted individuals. 

In July, another top Foxtrot member Fawzi Alaa known as “Dybala” - reportedly implicated in several investigations linked to contract killings in Sweden - was arrested in Erbil. 

Earlier the same month, Turkish authorities arrested Ismail Abdo, another Swedish gang leader and former associate of Majid. Abdo, wanted for drug trafficking and violent crimes, was detained alongside 19 others as part of a joint investigation between Turkish and Swedish law enforcement.

“My message to serious criminals hiding abroad is clear: Now we are coming for you, one by one. This is just the beginning. We will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. And we will seize your assets,” said Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer according to the country’s commercial TV4 News.

Deputy National Police Commissioner Stefan Hector said: “It should be clear by now that we don't give up, no matter which country or continent the criminals are in. In a short time, several gang criminals with a major impact on crime in Sweden have been arrested in several different countries through international cooperation.”

“Now another individual is being extradited to Sweden and we want to thank Iraq for strong cooperation – a cooperation that will be further deepened going forward to reduce cross-border organized crime,” he added.

Sweden has witnessed a sharp rise in gang-related violence over the past decade. A surge in shootings and bombing mostly fueled by rivalries between rival networks fighting for control over drug markets has become a national concern.

The violence has been exacerbated by social segregation in so-called “vulnerable areas,” where gangs increasingly recruit minors - who often face lighter penalties under Swedish law. This trend has shaken public confidence in institutions and prompted the government to push for tougher crime-fighting measures, including broader police powers and harsher sentencing.