In Sweden and other Nordic countries, the presence of beggars on the streets is a relatively new phenomenon, with many beggars originating from new EU member states. There are frequent claims that those beggars are part of organised networks, and that money raised does not stay with the beggars but goes to ring leaders. For example of people claiming this, see Beggars in Stockholm, The Local DK, or the reports from the very same day that the police in Sweden claim that begging is or isn't organised. A recent article asserts that a recent study shows that it is not organised. The news is based on an English language report from the Norwegian FAFO institute (PDF, 136 pages, 3.6 MB), who write that For most, income from begging and street work is shared only within the immediate family and household..
What evidence is there for the assertion that a large part of the revenue raised by beggars in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo, does not benefit the beggars but is taken by third parties? I imagine some might claim that the report from the FAFO institute is not the end of the debate.
(NB: For the scope of this question, by organised I mean specifically a situation where money raised by beggars goes to a third party in an exploitative manner. If beggars voluntarily choose to organise themselves in a labour union to demand better condition or whatnot, that is a different matter.)
