Teen hitman guilty of U.K. murder plot for Swedish crime group with Iran links

A 19-year-old Norwegian national has been convicted in the United Kingdom for his role in a murder plot orchestrated by a Sweden-based organized crime group with ties to Iran. Johannes Kongsnes Natland was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder following a two-week trial in London.

British counterterrorism officers led the investigation. Police stated Natland had already pleaded guilty to offenses related to possessing a firearm and ammunition. He was apprehended last year at a hotel in Huddersfield, northern England, while he was 18. Authorities discovered a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, and live ammunition hidden under his bed.

Natland arrived at Manchester Airport on March 17, 2025, using an emergency passport from his hometown of Stavanger, Norway. The Crown Prosecution Service indicated the hit was planned for two days later. Bodycam footage released by police shows Natland emerging topless from his hotel room and making a shooting gesture towards a firearms officer before being apprehended.

The intended victim of the assassination has not been identified. However, investigators presented substantial evidence demonstrating Natland's awareness that he was hired to kill someone. The Crown Prosecution Service described the act as a "calculated plan to kill for money," highlighting that Natland was only 18 when he agreed to carry out the murder for financial gain. The case underscores how organized crime networks operate internationally and exploit young individuals for violent acts.

Police identified the Swedish organized crime group as the Foxtrot Network. This group, along with its leader Rawa Majid, is subject to British and American sanctions due to its involvement in violent acts against Israeli and Jewish targets across Europe, allegedly on behalf of the Iranian regime. The Foxtrot Network is known for drug smuggling and violent crimes, with assignments often advertised in group chats on platforms like Snapchat, Telegram, and Signal. The group has been noted for its practice of hiring teenage assassins, a phenomenon Europol terms "violence-as-a-service." A 17-year-old has been sentenced in Norway for recruiting Natland, and another 16-year-old is awaiting trial for their involvement in the conspiracy.

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This was a calculated plan to kill for money. Johannes Natland was just 18 when he travelled to the UK, having agreed to carry out a murder on behalf of others for financial gain. This case shows how organised crime networks operate across borders and exploit young people to carry out serious violence.