A gripping Danish documentary series has torn apart the country's self-image, revealing a dark underworld festering beneath its respectable surface. The Black Swan, a four-part investigation for broadcaster TV 2, became a national sensation in 2024, with its shocking revelations about the symbiotic relationship between organised crime and the professional elite.
The Informer at the Heart of the Storm
At the centre of this real-life thriller is Amira Smajic, a lawyer who spent years representing Denmark's most notorious criminal gangs. Described by filmmaker Mads Brügger as a "black swan" – an unpredictable event of massive consequence – Smajic turned whistleblower, providing unprecedented access to the inner workings of the mob.
Smajic, who arrived in Denmark as a child refugee from the Bosnian war, had built a career working with criminals, earning the nickname "ice queen" for her ruthless methods. In a dramatic turn, she used those same skills to gather a vast cache of evidence for Brügger's team, documenting illicit activities from a Copenhagen office rigged with hidden cameras and microphones.
A Nation Confronts Its Dark Side
The impact of the series was immediate and profound. Half of all Danes watched the documentary when it aired, and it prompted a string of police investigations. The public outcry led to a tightening of laws concerning money laundering and gang activity.
Brügger, known for his undercover work in North Korea in The Red Chapel, stated that making The Black Swan revealed a Denmark that was "grim and dark," shattering the country's almost idyllic vision of itself. The series exposed how seemingly respectable businesspeople and lawyers facilitated criminal enterprises involving dirty money and fraudulent invoices.
Peril and Revelation
Smajic's work as an inside woman was fraught with danger, undertaken over a tense six-month period. Despite safety measures, she faced direct threats, including from Fasar Abrar Raja, a former member of the Bandidos biker club with convictions for assault, firearms possession, and drug smuggling. By the third episode, he threatened to "crush [Smajic] with my bare hands."
Other scenes featured startlingly candid admissions from white-collar accomplices. Martin Malm, described by Brügger as a cliché of the Danish upper class, openly compared obfuscating his business affairs to finding a cheat code for a video game.
While the series unfolds meticulously, with the first three episodes building the case, the fourth is a heart-stopping finale where the team fears the entire operation may be compromised. It offers a masterclass in handling a story spinning out of control and a stark look at journalistic ethics under pressure.
For Smajic, the immense risk was a chance at redemption, a way to escape a life of crime she likened to a drug addiction. "It's like being in a bad movie," she remarked, finding herself in ever more precarious situations. This real-life bad movie, however, resulted in a nail-biting series that demonstrates the powerful, real-world impact television can have.
The Black Swan is available for UK viewers on BBC iPlayer.
