A government investigator proposes allowing Swedish police to pose as drug buyers or children offering sex online to expose criminals. The controversial measures would explicitly permit law enforcement to use provocative tactics that could lead individuals to commit offenses.
Investigator Stefan Johansson recommends new legislation authorizing special provocative measures. Police could create fictional scenarios to identify suspects in serious crimes.
Under the proposal, officers could impersonate minors under 15 online to catch potential child sex offenders. They would also be permitted to pose as drug purchasers to uncover narcotics operations.
Provocative methods would only be allowed within preliminary investigations where evidence already suggests criminal activity. The measures must be critically important to the investigation.
The plan includes allowing police to create and share fictional child pornography images during investigations into serious child sex crimes. Officers could also use fake vehicle registration data to conceal undercover police cars.
For adult suspects, targeted crimes would require minimum one-year prison sentences. Some offenses like child sex crimes and security police matters would qualify regardless of penalty scale.
Current Swedish law already permits some police provocation but lacks clear regulation. The government emphasizes these methods should never entice people to commit crimes they wouldn't otherwise consider.
The proposed law would take effect in March 2027 if approved. This represents a significant expansion of Swedish police investigative powers that raises questions about entrapment boundaries.
Police operations targeting online child predators often require deceptive tactics, but formalizing these methods creates new legal and ethical considerations for Swedish law enforcement.