Police headquarters targeted in southern Sweden blast

Criminal gangs irritated by recent advances in police investigations against them could be behind a powerful explosion in Helsingborg in southern Sweden, Swedish police said at a Wednesday press conference.

It was in the early hours of Wednesday morning that several members of the public reported hearing a powerful explosion in Helsingborg. It turned out to have taken place outside the entrance of the city's police headquarters, which was severely damaged in the incident, Swedish Television reported.

"We work in criminal environments in an efficient way and that irritates those we are working against. We don't know if this incident is linked to that but we do know our work affects their activities and incomes," said area police chief, Patrik Heimbrandt.

He stressed that this incident will not affect the police's continued work.

Sweden's national police chief Dan Eliasson called the incident an "attack on society" and on everyone's security.

Several people were in the building at the time of the explosion, but no one was injured.