7. Unlawful influence in the Icelandic justice sector

This chapter is based on a report on organised crime from the Icelandic National Commissioner of Police and a research report on violence against police officers, supplemented by statistics on reported offences against public officials. Additional data are drawn from media coverage.

7.1. Organised crime in Iceland

The number of organised criminal groups in Iceland has doubled over the past decade, and these groups have become increasingly embedded within Icelandic society, according to a recent report on organised crime (National Commissioner of the Police, 2025). Both the frequency and severity of organised crime have risen, accompanied by greater professionalism and capability among criminal networks. It is estimated that around 20 organised criminal groups operate in Iceland, each comprising between three and 20 individuals.

Regarding unlawful influence, the report from the National Commissioner of the Police (2025b) highlights economic crime and the role of professional facilitators in integrating organised criminal activity into legitimate financial structures. In Iceland, this trend has become visible through the use of “front persons”, often vulnerable individuals who are registered as company owners or serve as intermediaries in transfers, foreign exchange transactions or fictitious accounts.

A recent case before the Reykjanes District Court illustrates this dynamic: a lawyer was convicted of laundering illicit proceeds for a co-defendant, with the court concluding that the lawyer’s involvement was essential to the completion of the offences (National Commissioner of the Police, 2025). Although the case did not involve an organised criminal group, it demonstrates that professional services capable of facilitating money laundering do exist in Iceland and may play a significant role in supporting the operations of organised criminal networks.

7.2. Unlawful influence on public officials

Much of what is known about unlawful influence in Iceland is based on isolated cases that have become public in the media. It has been suggested that the growing presence of organised crime has contributed to increased violence and threats, particularly against police officers. Police officers reportedly perceive that threats made against them are increasingly intended to be carried out (Iceland Monitor, 2023). The Ministry of Justice is currently developing an action plan to address organised crime, and the government has announced plans to expand police powers to strengthen the fight against organised criminal activity (Adam, 2025).

Looking at reported offences in Iceland over the past two decades, there has been a clear increase in reported offences against public authorities. As in the other Nordic countries, violence against public officials primarily targets police officers (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. Reported offences against the police in Iceland, 2015–2025
Source: National Commissioner of the Police (2026)

7.3. The police

In the summer of 2025, the Icelandic Minister of Justice opened a review on how the law protects police officers and stated that action will be taken to ensure the safety of police officers, after an incident of violent threats against a police officer outside of working hours (Adam, 2025). In connection to previous cases involving violence against police officers, it has been mentioned that the police in Iceland are experiencing increasing violence and threats (Iceland Monitor, 2023). In recent years these concerns have been raised in connection to organised crime, however there is no statistic available concerning to what degree organised crime is behind this. Organised crime has especially been connected to violence as a service, where groups can distance themselves from criminal acts and minimise the risk of investigation or prosecution. For instance, in 2023, a police officer’s car was set on fire in exchange for payment for violent acts (National Commissioner of the Police, 2025).

When looking specifically at crimes directed at the police (Figure 5), one can see that there has been an increase in both violence and threat of violence against police officers. In 2025, according to the preliminary numbers, there were112 cases of threat of violence and 131 cases of violence against police officers (National Commissioner of the Police, 2026).

In a survey in 2007, 70% of police officers reported having been threatened or assaulted while on duty during the past five years (Bragason, 2007; Bragason et al., 2007). Around 40% of respondents considered the assaults against them to be serious or very serious, while 35% viewed them as not very serious or not serious at all. The survey does not recount to what degree the violence had connections to organised crime.

The 2007 survey remains the most systematic study of violence against police officers to date, although somewhat outdated given the more recent changes in organised crime in Iceland and increase in violence against police officers. However, the Office of the National Commissioner of Police is currently preparing a new survey among Icelandic officers, which will also address threats, harassment and violence.

Cases of corruption and insider activity have also been raised in Iceland. In a recent case revealed by the news programme Kveikur, three former and current police officers were found to have been spying on behalf of Iceland’s richest man (Seljan & Theodórsson, 2025).

7.4. Summary

The unlawful influence of organised crime in Iceland remains largely unknown, with few sources describing the phenomenon. However, offences against public officials are on the rise, as is the influence of organised crime on Icelandic society.