The dramatic crackdown took place with the help of Säpo, the police and the Armed Forces early this morning. The national task force got down from two helicopters and stormed into the couple’s villa in the Stockholm area by, among other things, breaking the windows.
Two people were arrested in the dawn raid, according to the Security Police. According to information to TV4 Nyheterna, it is about a man and woman, a married couple, in their 60s. The man is suspected of gross illegal intelligence activities against Sweden and gross illegal intelligence activities against a foreign power. The woman is suspected of aiding and abetting the crimes.
Both were born in Russia and married there in the mid-90s. They came to Sweden together a few years later and have been Swedish citizens for some time now. In the district court’s documents, it appears that the suspected crimes must have taken place since January 1, 2013 until today’s arrests.
The suspicion: Companies were used for espionage
The man has several businesses and his wife is involved in one of them. One of the companies trades in, among other things, industrial equipment, aircraft equipment and other IT equipment. In the latest annual report it is stated that they also deal with banking and securities trading in Russia and that they offer marketing promotion services to Swedish companies on the Russian market.
According to TV4 Nyhetern’s information, Säpo suspects that the companies were used for espionage by having various “business meetings” and through that committing the illegal intelligence activities, as well as meeting others connected to the crimes.
In the spring of 2016, the Swedish Tax Agency received permission to carry out a raid on the couple’s villa following suspicions of tax crimes.
Neighbors: Dramatic strike
TV4 News has been on site at the house where this morning’s attack took place. Neighbors describe the operation as dramatic when two large helicopters suddenly began hovering over the rooftops and the roads were filled with police.
A woman who lives in the area says that the man and woman were nice but tight-lipped, and that they once got into an infected conflict with another neighbor.
– The neighbor ended up moving away. After that I tried to talk to the couple but it was clear that they didn’t want any closer contact.
The Minister of Defense is informed about the suspected spy case.
See photos from the scene of the arrest in the player above.