Sweden: Spying on refugees
01 November 1995
An unnamed senior police officer, chief of the Handen police district aliens department, is currently under investigation and may be prosecuted for handing information to the Russians on asylum-seekers. Between 1994 and 1995, the officer passed on confidential information about at least 10 Russian asylum-seekers and foreigners from other countries. In one case, the Russians requested confidential information about a 19-year old man who had deserted from the Russian Army and escaped to Sweden. The officer is accused of accepting bribes and free Baltic boat trips between Russia and Sweden. As chief of an alien unit, it would not have been difficult for him to access and pass on sensitive information. On several occasions the police officer travelled to St Petersburg to hand over material. Swedish counterespionage do not exclude the possibility that he may have been a Russian recruitment target. The Swedish investigation has established that the information is in the hands of the Russian Immigration Police and specialists believe the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) probably had a hand in the matter.
Staff on Baltic Line cruise ships are suspected of acting as liaison for the police officer. The managing director of Baltic Line has rejected the allegations as "spy mania", saying it is perfectly normal for Swedish and Russian police to exchange information concerning suspect passports. However, according to the prosecutor's investigation, the police officer did not register the documents according to regulations. Some fifty written notes, many on Baltic Line letterhead paper, have been intercepted. These secrecy offenses were uncovered by colleagues of the officer who began to suspect irregularities. The investigation has established that the police officer had severe economic problems. He was suspended, pending further investigation, but not remanded in custody. Following interrogation he claimed he was innocent and that he followed official routines intended to stop illegal immigration. The prosecutor investigating the case will decide whether to press charges for professional misconduct, breach of secrecy and pocketing bribes.
Intelligence, no 26, 20.11.95.ll