Swedish Gang Leader Extradited from Turkey to Serve Prison Sentence

Maziar Vermahmood, a 40-year-old Swedish man and leader of the M-falangen gang in Gothenburg, has been extradited from Turkey to Sweden to serve a five years and nine months prison sentence. Vermahmood was convicted by the Court of Appeal in 2022 for conspiracy to commit murder, involving plans to kill four members of the rival G-falangen gang. Initially acquitted of the most serious charges by a lower court, he was free until the appellate ruling, at which point he disappeared in January 2022 and was sought internationally via Interpol. After being arrested in Turkey in 2024, he was returned to Sweden on July 21, 2026. Swedish police and Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer have highlighted the significance of this extradition, with Strömmer emphasizing that criminals cannot find safe refuge abroad. Jonas Hemmar, deputy head of the international unit at Noa, expressed gratitude to Turkish authorities for their cooperation in the extradition process. This case underscores the close collaboration between Swedish and Turkish law enforcement agencies in combating serious organized crime and ensuring criminals face justice.