A 19-year-old Norwegian national, Johannes Natland, was sentenced to 20 years of detention on Friday at Woolwich Crown Court for his role in a murder plot. Natland was convicted of conspiracy to murder after being arrested in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in March 2025. Authorities reported that he was recruited by the Foxtrot Network, a Swedish organized crime group, to travel to the United Kingdom and assassinate an unidentified individual.
Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Natland was offered 270,000 Norwegian Kroner, equivalent to approximately £21,000, to carry out the killing. He arrived at Manchester Airport on March 17, 2025, using an emergency passport. Although Border Force officials instructed him to return home on the next flight, Natland instead traveled to Huddersfield, where he followed instructions sent via the messaging app Signal to locate hidden firearms and cash.
Police arrested Natland at the Briar Court Hotel, where they discovered two handguns and 19 rounds of live ammunition hidden under his bed. The intervention followed an investigation by Norwegian police, who had arrested the individual responsible for recruiting Natland and discovered messages detailing the plot. During the arrest, Natland mimed shooting an officer with his hands.
Natland’s defense barrister, Paul Hynes KC, argued that his client's mental illness was exacerbated or created by drug use, which began when Natland started using drugs at age 13. While Natland admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition, he testified that his claims about wanting to kill were "bravado" and that he had considered injuring himself to avoid completing the mission. Justice Cheema-Grubb, however, stated that Natland had pursued the plan despite opportunities to withdraw.
The scale of this operation involved at least two countries—Norway and the UK—and centered on a 19-year-old recruit who was 18 at the time of the offense. The financial incentive offered was roughly £21,000. For ordinary citizens, this case highlights the cross-border nature of modern organized crime and the specific use of social media platforms like Signal to coordinate illegal acts, which can lead to rapid escalations of local police and counter-terrorism resources.
The conviction sets a precedent for how UK courts handle foreign nationals recruited by international syndicates for hire. Under the terms of his sentence, Natland will be required to serve at least two-thirds of his 20-year term in custody. Following this sentencing, Counter Terrorism Policing stated they will continue to monitor attempts by organized groups or foreign states to conduct criminal activities on UK soil.