Norwegian authorities are confronting a surge in organized violence orchestrated through social media. The National Criminal Investigation Service, known as Kripos, has reported uncovering approximately 400 orders for contract violence and preventing around 30 such incidents in recent months. The situation escalated rapidly following a grenade attack on Pilestredet in Oslo, where two 13-year-olds were apprehended.
Kripos chief Kristin Kvigne and Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen met this week to assess police efforts against criminal networks. Kvigne stressed the figures come with caveats, as orders can be advertised multiple times or go undetected. 'It says something about what young people encounter on social media. It is very worrying,' Kvigne stated. The police consider an 'uncovered' order as one they have identified and are investigating, while a 'prevented' order involves concrete police intervention.
The prevented incidents occurred across multiple police districts, including Oslo, Sør-Vest, Troms, and Trøndelag. The crimes range from explosions to murder contracts and threats, covering 'the entire spectrum of violence capital,' according to Kripos division head Emil Kofoed. Investigators note recruiters for this violence are often linked to Swedish organized crime, with the Foxtrot network appearing in many cases.
A critical challenge lies in the operational timeline. From a suspected order appearing on a platform, police face a long path to actionable intelligence. 'We must transform a tip into what will happen, when it will happen, who will carry it out, who the client is, and who the target is. It requires a major effort from police to get there,' Kofoed explained.
The government has strengthened police resources with an annual 600 million kroner allocation to fight criminal networks. Kvigne called these funds 'absolutely necessary' to handle the rapid change police faced. Justice Minister Aas-Hansen emphasized trusting police to deploy resources effectively. 'It is the police themselves who know how they must organize to achieve these effects, rather than having the Ministry of Justice or the Storting micromanage,' she said.
Kripos is now hiring digital surveillance officers and training existing staff to detect this crime. 'We must build our resources long-term, because we believe this will not go away for a while,' Kvigne noted, adding there is no 'quick fix' but only meticulous work. The agency expects similar challenges a year from now, aiming to keep the situation at a manageable level.
A primary focus is targeting the clients, or 'backmen,' often located abroad in countries without legal cooperation agreements with Norway. Missing extradition treaties and dual citizenship allow many to evade punishment. Kofoed warned that focusing only on the perpetrators is mere firefighting, while new fires will constantly ignite. Minister Aas-Hansen agreed, stressing the need to address the root cause. 'We must stop those backmen who cynically exploit children,' the minister said, connecting the effort directly to the broader fight against criminal networks.
This development represents a stark evolution in Norway's crime landscape, moving from traditional organized crime to digitally facilitated, youth-involved contract violence. It tests the limits of national policing and international judicial cooperation, particularly concerning the Arctic and northern regions where some incidents occurred. The government's response, prioritizing operational autonomy for the police, reflects a pragmatic approach to a complex, borderless threat.