Sweden's government said Monday it was looking into ways of revoking citizenship of dual nationals convicted in organised crime and gang cases.
"It should be possible to withdraw citizenship over crimes that occur within the framework of criminal networks and which seriously harm the state's vital interests," Migration Minister Johan Forssell told reporters.
The Scandinavian country, once known for its low crime rates, has struggled for years to rein in organised crime.
Criminal networks are involved in drug trafficking, human smuggling, weapons trade and welfare fraud, with regular shootings and bombings across the country in recent years.
The gangs are also reported to have infiltrated Sweden's welfare sector, local politics, legal and education system and juvenile detention care.
The government said around 1,100 people linked to criminal gangs in Sweden hold dual nationality, citing data from the police.
It is not currently possible to revoke Swedish citizenship, a right protected under the country's constitution.
The centre-right government, backed in parliament by the far-right Sweden Democrats, previously launched a review to see if it would be possible to revoke citizenship and expel people under certain specific circumstances.
"We're working at the bilateral level" to ensure that other countries would take back their citizens, Forssell said.
A first review presented on January 15 concluded that Sweden should be able to withdraw citizenship from a dual national if the person obtained it by fraudulent means, such as providing false or incomplete information.
It should also be possible if the person has been convicted of a crime that "poses a serious threat to national security", such as espionage or treason, or "poses a threat to Sweden's vital interests", the government said.
It is the latter scenario -- posing a threat "to Sweden's vital interests" -- that the government would like to apply against convicted gang members.
The government now plans to examine exactly who could be targeted under that definition.
Leaders of criminal networks increasingly operate from abroad, orchestrating murders and attacks via social media and often recruiting young children under the age of criminal responsibility to carry out the attacks.
"It's not just people high up in these structures that threaten the state's vital interests," Forssell insisted.
Human rights groups have warned that withdrawing citizenship can have grave consequences on individuals' rights.