Turkey refuses Sweden's extradition request for notorious 'drug lord'

Turkey has refused to extradite one of Sweden’s most notorious criminals - a drug lord suspected of leading an elaborate crime network - because they say he is a Turkish citizen. 

Rawa Majid - known as "the Kurdish Fox" - is widely considered to be the leader of an organised crime gang known for operating a drugs trade, bombings and murders in the Stockholm area. 

Swedish authorities, keen to show voters they are cracking down on violent crime, requested Majid’s extradition so he can face Swedish justice. 

However, this was denied by Ankara on grounds that Masjid is a Turkish citizen - an ironic reversal of events given Ankara's slew of extradition requests to Sweden as it bids to join NATO.

"An extradition of Rawa Majid from Turkey has been requested," said Swedish public prosecutor Henrik Soderman to Politico. 

"Turkish authorities have said that the extradition is not possible because Rawa Majid is a Turkish citizen," he added. 

Majid was born in Iran but grew up in Sweden. 

He was sentenced to prison in 2010 for drug-related offences, and released eight years later. After his release, Majid headed to Turkey, where he applied for citizenship under the government’s investment-for-citizenship scheme.

In a telephone conversation with Swedish broadcasting company SVT, Majid denied all accusations against him.

Ankara has pressured the Swedish government to extradite a handful of Turkish journalists and activists who sought refuge in the Nordic country, claiming they are "terrorists" plotting to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Sweden has refused several, though not all, extradition requests.

The Swedish Justice Ministry ruled in favour of the extradition of Omer Altun, who was sentenced last year by a Turkish court to 15 years in prison for "what in Sweden would be the equivalent of fraud," reported Swedish news website The Local. 

Sweden, alongside Finland, applied to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. 

Their ascension has been blocked by Turkey, who accused the Nordic states of harbouring wanted "terrorists". 

Finland finally joined NATO last week. 

Sweden has not yet joined the military alliance.