Swedish rapper Haval Khalil to be transferred to Sweden after Romanian arrest

Romanian prosecutors from DIICOT, working with Europol, detained Swedish rapper Haval Khalil in early September 2026. The 31-year-old, who had been living in Otopeni for about three years, appeared before the Bucharest Court of Appeal and was placed in pre-trial detention. He consented to be transferred to Swedish authorities on Friday.

A European arrest warrant issued by Sweden lists charges of complicity in an attempted homicide, extortion, blackmail and connections to Stockholm-based criminal networks such as Dalen and Foxtrot. Investigators allege he continued to coordinate violent attacks in Sweden while residing in Romania. Khalil is a popular hip-hop figure with millions of views and a 2021 Grammy nomination, and he previously served a two-and-half-year sentence for involvement in the kidnapping and assault of fellow Swedish rapper Einár.