Notorious criminal group tries to establish itself in Kristianstad – police strike against premises

Members of Black Cobra, in their black gang sweatshirt, have held a meeting in premises at Vilan. In a closed group on the social media the members pose with weapons. In a video clip from New Year's Eve, somewhere in north-east Skåne, a man aims what looks like a revolver skywards. He fires several shots. He is surrounded by a crowd of people, including children.

The criminal Black Cobra group was founded by Palestinian immigrants in Denmark at the beginning of the millenium.

Ten years ago the gang, which was strong in Malmö and Stockholm, began to fall apart, and died out. Most of the leaders went over to criminal motor-cycle gangs. Several of them have died in conflicts with other gangs for control over the cocaine market.

Today one of the leaders is a 41-year-old man. He was formerly an important leader in Black Cobra in Malmö.

”The criminal service's security organisation has said that XX is to be seen as a leading figure in Black Cobra”. And ”Black Cobra is judged to meet the criteria for what EU defines as gross organised crime” it says in a sentence from 2013.

Now the 41-year-old lives in north-east Skåne. He has been sentenced for about 30 offences, the latest being assault in a pub in Kristianstad. In a photo from the meeting that was held in premises at Vilan he is posing along with some other people all wearing the gang's sweatshirt.

The police in Kristianstad have made a house search in connection with a meeting in the group's premises.

– We recceived information that there was a party with people with a criminal background, says police spokesman Robert Loeffel.

The police checked a number of vehicles outside the premises.

This resulted in a traffic offence or two, and a drugs find, which led on to a house search in these premises, says Robert Loeffel.

The operation lasted for several hours. A number of persons were checked. A few small drugs finds were made, according to the police.

– Several of the persons are known to us previously, says Robert Loeffel.

Black Cobra says that the group has become established in Kristianstad. Members tell the newspaper that what drives them is hate of the police.The group

accuses the police of racism and harassment. Black Cobra has also become established in Örebro, writes Nerikes Allehanda. The 41-year-old has travelled round from town to town to recruit members.

Black Cobra was previously engaged in drug-dealing, blackmail and weapon offences, to name a few of their activities.

Martin Thornell, district police in Kristianstad, says that the police know about the presence of Black Cobra. He assures us that the police follow up how their group is organised and who are members, to be able to disrupt their activities.

This is a group that has previously demonstrated that they are not afraid to use violence. Should the public be worried?

– The police are working on these questions. It's part of our work. I don't think people need to feel more afraid than they did before this article was published.