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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Ahmed Alaa Fawzi, also known by his gang alias 'Dybala' and a key figure in Sweden's notorious Foxtrot Network, has been apprehended in Erbil, according to Sweden's national broadcaster SVT.
SVT reported that Fawzi, 27, was arrested several weeks ago by local security forces in the Kurdistan Region, though news of his capture has only recently been made public.
Rudaw English reached out to Erbil police, but they were not immediately available for a comment.
Originally from Baghdad, Fawzi holds only Iraqi citizenship and was denied asylum in Sweden in 2015.
Fawzi is internationally wanted by Swedish authorities for allegedly ordering the murder of a father of three in Skurup, a municipality in southern Sweden's Skane County.
Interpol has also issued a Red Notice for his arrest on charges including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aiding and abetting, and weapons offenses.
Prominent Swedish daily Aftonbladet cited Fawzi's lawyer, Tobias Guldstrand, as noting that he knew of his client's apprehension 'only through the media. I have nothing further I can comment on beyond that at the moment.'
Widely known by his gang name Dybala, Fawzi reportedly implicated in several investigations linked to contract killings in Sweden. He is believed to be a close associate of Rawa Majid - dubbed 'the Kurdish Fox' - who leads the Foxtrot Network.
The Foxtrot Network, a dominant force in Sweden's criminal underworld since the late 2010s, is deeply involved in narcotics trafficking, shootings, bombings, and other violent crimes.
In March, the United States sanctioned Majid over his alleged involvement in arms and drug trafficking and for reportedly cooperating with Iran in 'attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in Europe.'
Earlier this month, Turkish authorities arrested Ismail Abdo, another Swedish gang leader and former associate of Majid. Abdo, wanted for drug trafficking and violent crimes, was detained alongside 19 others as part of a joint investigation between Turkish and Swedish law enforcement.
Sweden, once celebrated for its low crime rates and robust welfare system, has witnessed a sharp rise in gang-related violence over the past decade. A surge in shootings and bombings, largely fueled by rivalries between criminal networks competing for control of drug markets, has become a pressing national concern.
The violence has been exacerbated by social segregation in so-called 'vulnerable areas,' where gangs increasingly recruit minors - who often face lighter penalties under Swedish law. This trend has shaken public confidence in institutions and prompted the government to push for tougher crime-fighting measures, including broader police powers and harsher sentencing.
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