Crime News

TikTok regularly publishes content removal statistics for violent extremism content in its quarterly transparency reports. The latest report shows that TikTok proactively removed 95% of violent extremism content. As part of the joint exercise, some 2 145 pieces of content were assessed and flagged to TikTok for voluntary review against their terms of service. Among the referred content were items linked to jihadism and violent right-wing extremism and terrorism, such as videos and memes.  The action was put in motion by Spain and the EU IRU, in cooperation with law enforcement authorities from Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom.  This Referral Action Day is part of an ongoing public-private partnership between TikTok, law enforcement agencies and Europol that aims to address terrorists' abuse of the internet, prevent online radicalisation and safeguard fundamental rights. Europol has conducted similar exercises with other platforms.

Co-hosted by Europol and the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the two-day conference (26-27 September) brought together 385 high-level representatives from 44 countries to discuss how our rapidly-evolving world is creating new threats, opportunities and challenges for law enforcement.   The European Police Chiefs Convention, now in its 13th edition, is the leading platform for international police cooperation, allowing senior police officials from across the world to meet each other and discuss key matters of operational relevance in bilateral meetings and plenary sessions.  As in previous years, a meeting of the Directors General of Customs Authorities took place in the framework of the EPCC to strengthen the cooperation between law enforcement and custom authorities.  The changing operational context of policing Opening the EPCC, Europol’s Executive Director Catherine De Bolle said: There are big challenges for law enforcement ahead. We are facing today a world of multiple crises in the midst of which organised crime systemically reinvents itself. The criminal landscape is becoming more sophisticated, more transnational and more complex for investigators. We’re on the brink of what we could call a global crime warming. Alongside the geopolitical volatility of the recent years, the digital acceleration of our society is shifting the very ground below law enforcement, producing new operational realities. Executive Director De Bolle added: For law enforcement agencies, coping with this continuous and swift digital transformation will require a quantum leap if we are to provide for effective future policing. We will have to prioritise and re-assess where law enforcement can deliver, where to outsource and where private sector solutions may be preferable. Considerations for future preparedness  In preparation for the plenary discussions at the EPCC, four online workshops were organised with all the European Chiefs of Police in the weeks leading up to the event, bringing together diverse national perspectives and expertise to shape a collective response.  The discussions focused on the following pressing issues: Crime in the Digital Age: the evolution of illegal markets on the dark web and law enforcement’s ability to deal with online criminal trade; Policing in Partnership: the Digital Services Act, data retention and access to data and public private partnerships in prevention, investigation and takedowns; Illegal migration challenges for the Schengen area: Existing tools and gaps at the different stages to prevent and investigate criminal facilitation, criminal connection to secondary movements in the EU and EU Policy framework for security and migration; Destabilising our Society – the Organised Crime Factor: Key elements to disrupt high-risk criminal networks, national instruments to detect and target groups and networks and avenues for a coordinated response.  The outcomes of these four workshops were presented during the EPCC, with Europol and the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU concluding that:  Police chiefs expressed profound concern about the threats posed by organised crime. Citizens and victims of the increasingly violent methods that criminals apply must be protected. The international nature of organised crime requires an even stronger European and global cooperation to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement responses.  It is imperative to pursue partnerships with countries and regions that have a connection to crime that impacts the EU to enhance the efficacy of prevention, investigation, and disruption of crimes. Traditional law enforcement approaches must be combined, in partnership with non-law enforcement partners. The numerous advantages of enhancing collaboration with private sector partners are encouraged in the interest of enhancing efficiency. Celebrating innovation within law enforcement As with recent editions of the EPCC, Europol chose to recognise the most innovative projects within law enforcement with its 2023 Europol Excellence Awards in Innovation. On the margins of the EPCC, Europol announced the winners of this year’s awards. The Dutch Police (Politie), the French Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) and the Estonian Police (Eesti Politsei) were recognised for their achievements in three categories: the most innovative initiative in ethics, diversity and inclusion; the most innovative operation and the most innovative technical tool. Read more about the 2023 Europol Excellence Awards in Innovation here.  

In the third edition of these prestigious awards, the Dutch Police, the French National Gendarmerie and the Estonian Police were recognised for their achievements in three categories: Innovation initiative in ethics, diversity and inclusion; Innovative operation and Innovative Technical Solution.  The winners were carefully selected by a panel composed of the European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, the Police Chiefs of Spain, Belgium and Hungary, and Europol’s Executive Director Catherine De Bolle.    The Europol Excellence Awards in Innovation highlight how effective modern day law enforcement requires partnership and collaboration, whether in teams of officers, between forces, in multi-agency operations or through wider public sector involvement. The Awards also recognise that accomplishments arise from a diverse blend of innovative, committed and well-trained personnel, serving, engaging and protecting the public while using technology efficiently and effectively. Europol received this year 69 nominations from 18 countries. Meet the 2023 winners  Category 1: Innovative initiative in Ethics, Diversity and Inclusion This award went to the Dutch National Police (Politie) for its use of virtual reality and deepfakes to assess and discuss implicit bias in law enforcement. Implicit bias refers to the unconscious attitudes and stereotypes that can affect behaviour and decisions. It can manifest itself through ethnic profiling and the unequal treatment of certain groups of people. The Dutch Police have developed a virtual reality simulation which allows its officers to experience and reflect on simulations of real-world scenarios that may elicit bias. Category 2: Innovative Operation This award went to the French National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) for its Operation CRYPTOSTORM which took down the Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange platform Bitzlato. This platform facilitated the laundering of over EUR 2.1 billion in criminal proceeds into Russian roubles. As a result of this operation, the digital infrastructure of the service was taken down, and 8 suspects were arrested in Europe and the United States of America. The innovative approach lies in the investigative approach, which saw law enforcement officers extract live data from the platform’s servers so as to not alert the suspects. This data was then used to identify criminal transactions which totalled 7 000 hits on Europol’s databases, triggering numerous investigations worldwide.  Category 3: Innovative Technical Solution This award went to the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet) for the development and implementation of the Drug Hunter Narcotic Analyzer. Through leveraging advanced technologies, ensuring portability and addressing regulatory considerations, this tool has the potential to revolutionise drug testing practices and improve public safety.  Innovation at Europol  Innovation is at the heart of modern policing, and Europol is striving to ensure that the European law enforcement community benefits from the most innovative technologies and tools to keep European citizens safe. Europol’s Innovation Lab aims to identify, promote and develop innovative concrete solutions supporting EU Member States’ operational work.  The Innovation Lab has set up the Europol Tool Repository (ETR), a secure online platform to share non-commercial, cost-free software developed by law enforcement  and research and technology organisations. These are shared under licence with Europol for distribution to other law enforcement authorities. Around 30 tools are currently available to all national police forces on ETR. These tools have already supported several operations across Europe.  Find out more about the work of Europol’s Innovation Lab.

Europol has supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) in 29 investigations, co-funded by EU financial mechanism. The operations, in line with EU priorities against serious and organised crime, targeted a number of criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud and corruption, among other crimes.  The 29 criminal investigations, led by Spain and involving other EU Member States and non-EU countries, have led to the arrests of 197 suspected members of criminal organisations of 34 nationalities. As many as 33 fugitives (detected in cooperation with the European network ENFAST) and 6 high-ranked members of criminal networks were among the arrested individuals. The multiple action days led to 114 house searches and many seizures totalling at: almost 5 tonnes of cocaine, over 3 tonnes of cannabis, 1.7 tonnes of heroin, 53 kilograms of synthetic drugs, 28 firearms, 57 vehicles, over EUR 4 million in cash, properties with an estimated value of about EUR 12 million, and close to EUR 10 million in frozen bank accounts. The investigations, co-funded by EU financial mechanism and supported by Europol, targeted criminal networks posing a serious threat to the safety and security of citizens across all EU Member States. The operations specifically targeted large criminal networks that represent a serious threat to EU security, such as those that use corruption and violence (often with firearms) and have the capacity to import large amounts of drugs. Europol facilitated the exchange of information between police agencies and provided operational coordination and analytical support, including in the field during action days. Funding through EU financial mechanisms Officers from the Spanish National Police, supported by Europol, carried out these joint operations in partnership with other EU Member States and non-EU countries, and in line with the EU Security Union Strategy. Within the focus of the EU Security Union Strategy are four main points: a future-proof security environment, tackling evolving threats, protecting Europeans from terrorism and organised crime and a strong European security ecosystem. To reach these goals, EU agencies and dedicated EU findings support EU Member States to tackle significant criminal threats through coordinated operational actions targeting criminal networks and their business models. The actions conducted within this framework have received co-financing from the European Union as part of the support provided to EU Member States in combating criminal networks posing the most significant threats to the safety and security of EU citizens and the EU as a whole.  Headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, we support the 27 EU Member States in their fight against terrorism, cybercrime and other serious and organised forms of crime. We also work with many non-EU partner states and international organisations. From its various threat assessments to its intelligence-gathering and operational activities, Europol has the tools and resources it needs to do its part in making Europe safer.  

The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), supported by Europol, dismantled a criminal network involved in drug trafficking and laundering large sums of criminal profits. The investigation was initiated in 2021 based on a Europol intelligence report, which led to the identification of a drug trafficking organisation. The criminal group was led by Albanian nationals and was active in the production and trafficking of marijuana, but also organised large-scale money laundering activities for drug trafficking organisations. They used the so-called hawala system of underground banking, while working closely with Chinese nationals.  Law enforcement actions on 17 July 2023 led to: -    27 arrests throughout Spain in Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Seville and Valencia; -    Seizures of luxury watches and jewellery valued at more than EUR 400 000; -    Seizures of high-end cars, phones, encrypted mobile phones and EUR 615 000 in cash.  EUR 65 million in money laundering turnover Investigators estimate that the criminal network laundered over EUR 65 million from drug trafficking activities in under one year, between May 2020 and March 2021 alone. The Chinese nationals played a major role in these criminal activities by laundering high quantities of criminal assets through legal businesses. These large sums of money would first go through these legal structures and were then compensated elsewhere. Finally, the criminal assets would reach the country of origin and were then invested there.  The “hawaladars”, of Albanian origin, operated as an illegal banking entity, carried out the transfers and concealed large sums of money from the sale of drugs. This served for the financing of new criminal operations. Two Albanian nationals headed the criminal network, one was the leader while the other took the role of lieutenant and accountant. Two Chinese nationals worked for them as coordinators by managing a large portfolio of numerous Asian establishments spread throughout Spain, which serviced money laundering schemes for drug trafficking profits.  Europol’s role Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided analytical support. During the action day, Europol deployed two experts to Spain to cross-check operational information in real time and support investigators on the ground with technical and asset-recovery expertise.   Headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, we support the 27 EU Member States in their fight against terrorism, cybercrime and other serious and organised forms of crime. We also work with many non-EU partner states and international organisations. From its various threat assessments to its intelligence-gathering and operational activities, Europol has the tools and resources it needs to do its part in making Europe safer.

Drugs and other illegal commodities were sold in large quantities on this Finnish-language platform which had been operating on the Onion Router (Tor) network since May 2022.  This successful action by the Finnish Customs was supported, among others, by the German Federal Criminal Office (Bundeskriminalamt) and the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau (Lietuvos kriminalinės policijos biuras). Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre coordinated the international activity and provided operational support and technical expertise.  The investigation is still ongoing as law enforcement worldwide work together to identify the sellers and users on the platform. This successful takedown happened just days ahead of the annual Dark Web Conference which will take place at Europol’s headquarters between 4-5 October. This event, restricted to law enforcement, will bring together over 180 investigators from across the world to discuss the latest criminal trends and developments on the dark web. 

Check against delivery Dear Director General, Dear colleagues and friends, Buenas tardes. It is a great pleasure for me to be here this afternoon. I am very glad for this speaking invitation at the eleventh conference of Europol's Data Protection Experts Network. I am a regular visitor to Madrid and to Spain, but I never cease to enjoy the particular atmosphere of Madrid, a vibrant city full of life and wonderful people. I would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Interior, the Policía Nacional and the Guardia Civil for hosting us so generously, in the context of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union. Hospitality is a distinctive feature of this city and of Spain. So, thank you very much. I would also like to thank our partners from the Academy of European Law (ERA) for co-organising this event. The EDEN conference has established itself as an important forum to debate Data Protection and Law Enforcement. It is great to see so many of you today. Your input means a lot to us and we are honoured to have so many distinguished experts here on stage and in the audience. The title of the conference and of the different panels bode well for an entertaining discussion: ‘whisperers of contrast’, ‘walking dead’, ‘dungeons and dragons’... But, letting aside Netflix series and board games, I would like to make a few reflections on the very serious world of law enforcement in connection to data protection. After all, policing is all too often a life and death business; a very serious business. As I have said many times, I do not see data protection and law enforcement as a zero-sum game. There is no privacy without respect for security; there is no liberty without respect for privacy; security requires both certain liberties and privacy. It is not a matter of choice: we need both. So, if I were a painter rather than a whisperer, I would focus on the harmony of my colours, rather than on their contrast. It is certainly true that data protection in law enforcement is a nuanced and complex topic. There are indeed many hidden or subtle aspects related to it. It is therefore important to explore and reflect about these complexities. Not just as an academic exercise, but to better inform our future policy decisions. As we do so, it is important that we seek clarity and precision, as well as distinct messages – for at least two reasons: First, because we are exercising our duties in a highly regulated and supervised framework, where legal certainty and legitimate expectations are preferable to grey areas and ambiguity. Second, because - as I said - we are ultimately dealing with life and death matters. Our collective role – in EU law enforcement and in the data protection community - is to contribute to an area of freedom, security and justice, one which places the individual at the heart of our activities. Europol’s specific role is to protect citizens against organised crime and terrorism. But all of us - law enforcement, supervisors and regulators – as public institutions, have to provide for the respect of the rights to life, liberty, security and the protection of personal data. Especially, as one set of rights cannot be enjoyed without the other. I always advocate for a culture of respect, loyalty and trust among all players in the Justice and Home Affairs area – we are all dealing with very delicate matters. This requires building a strong sense of inter-institutional trust, through objectivity and impartiality. We must ensure that all measures taken are proportional to the aim pursued. This conference is very much welcomed as it puts on the table a series of topics revolving around technological challenges, that are absolutely relevant for law enforcement. Today, public authorities – be it law enforcement or supervisory bodies - are faced with a difficult task as they seek to fulfil their responsibilities to protect the individual rights of citizens in the digital environment. Addressing these challenges requires creative thinking, innovative policy solutions and cross-sector partnerships. The technological changes are so fundamental and so rapid, that we are just about to comprehend their impact on law enforcement. However, the issue is not just technology. It is about the adaptability of our law enforcement response, of our legal and regulatory framework and most importantly the level of public acceptance. For law enforcement agencies, coping with this continuous and swift digital transformation will require a quantum leap if we are to provide for effective future policing. In order to navigate these challenges, we as law enforcement must embrace innovation and continuous learning, connect with relevant stakeholders, and foster a forward-looking mind set within our organisations. We established the Europol’s Innovation Lab precisely to identify and develop concrete innovative solutions to support Member States’ operational work. The Innovation Lab’s Observatory monitors technological developments of relevance to law enforcement. We assess potential benefits and threats and use this knowledge to help better prepare the law enforcement community for the future. I would like to briefly touch upon some related issues, building on the discussions of EU chiefs of police throughout the last few months. One key challenge relates to access to data for effective law enforcement in light of the digitalisation of communications. The digital and physical worlds are intertwined and police agencies must have the same prerequisites to combat crime irrespective of whether it is committed online or in the physical world. Police agencies in Europe have a sense that we are not yet there, that we are going dark. We need solutions that are compliant and in accordance with the rule of law. Solutions, which at the same time make a real difference for police agencies. There is a communication side to this. Police agencies must be as transparent as possible and provide concrete examples of how digital data is necessary to prosecute criminals as well as to exonerate innocent people. Public trust in the police is a fundamental prerequisite. Another challenge relates to legal insecurity in the area of data retention. In the absence of legal certainty of national legal frameworks on data retention, there is a risk that law enforcement agencies cannot access important evidence needed to identify, prevent, investigate and prosecute crimes. Other challenges relate to the development of generative artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies.   Technology brings opportunities, but also risks: unwanted side effects from technology itself or the possibility for criminal actors to exploit it for their own illicit purposes. These include the production of synthetic media such as deep-fakes which can, for instance, be abused for a variety of purposes: disinformation, fraud, child sexual exploitation, terrorist propaganda, and many others. In the future, it will become increasingly difficult to discern what is real and what is not, and law enforcement needs to be ready in order to mitigate these types of threats. Another type of generative artificial intelligence is that of large language models such as ChatGPT. Here again, criminals can abuse this technology for a number of crime areas. But, on the other hand, large language models may offer some benefits to law enforcement agencies. For example, in supporting officers investigating unfamiliar crime areas, facilitating open source research and intelligence analysis, or to develop technical investigative tools. Finally, I would like to mention quantum computing and its related technologies, which are going to have a profound impact not just on law enforcement, but society as a whole. One of the most critical developments relate to the impact quantum computers are going to have on state-of-the-art encryption. Given their ability to solve certain problems faster than classical computers, the arrival of the universal quantum computer will effectively break the cryptography we employ today to keep our most sensitive data safe. This means that we need to already start thinking about some of the adverse consequences this type of technology might produce. At the same time, some potential uses may be interesting for law enforcement. For example, better decryption capabilities, advances in artificial intelligence, and potentially even improved crime scene forensics. These are just a few of the technological challenges and opportunities we face. Other challenges derive from a number of recent key legislative instruments, which Europol and Member States law enforcement agencies will have are implementing or will have to implement very soon. The Digital Services Act, which introduces harmonized rules for all digital services that operate in the EU, addressing all categories of illegal content, products, services and activities online. The Directive on the exchange of law enforcement information, which lays down the rules under which Member States’ law enforcement authorities may exchange existing information and intelligence effectively and expeditiously for the purpose of conducting criminal investigations. The Terrorism Content Online Regulation, which aims to ensure that terrorist content available to the public is removed swiftly, in a cooperative and coordinated manner among all EU Member States, Europol and hosting service providers (HSPs). Dear colleagues and friends, I tried to give you a quick snapshot of the complexity of the technological and regulatory environment in which law enforcement has to operate, while protecting citizens and fighting organised crime and terrorism. If we are to achieve both security and privacy in an effective manner, all stakeholders — law enforcement agencies, the technology sector, privacy advocates and the victims of online-enabled crimes — must come together for a reasonable and open public debate on this subject. We must focus on practical challenges and tangible, realistic and enforceable solutions. Solutions, which should allow citizens to enjoy technological innovation without fear for their civil liberties while empowering law enforcement agencies to serve their function in society. That is why events like the EDEN conferences are so helpful to come up with fresh and innovative ideas. I would invite you to actively participate in this debate in a constructive spirit and conscious of our joint aim to make Europe a safer place. Thank you for your attention and I wish you a very fruitful and entertaining debate. * * *

This major coordinated and complex law enforcement operation was carried out in several locations across France. More than 110 French police officers, including tactical and canine units, arrested 13 members of the criminal network. Supported by Europol and INTERPOL analysts and in coordination with international police forces, law enforcement took the two main network coordinators in France, logisticians and car thieves into custody. The deployed officers searched various houses and seized tools and material used for car theft including illicit on-board diagnostic (OBD) port software, vehicle documents and cash. Real-time analysis of several seized mobile phones led to the identification of two containers carrying nine stolen cars, which were immediately intercepted at the ports of Le Havre, France, and Las Palmas, Spain.  Europol’s role Europol participated in two operational meetings, contributing analytical findings related to the main suspects in the investigation and information on overlaps with other cases. Europol’s analysts carried out multiple crosschecks and a staff member with a mobile office was deployed to France to support the action day.  This international police operation was carried out under the umbrella of EMPACT. This enabled the participating law enforcement authorities to regularly exchange concrete information during multiple operational meetings and to coordinate the action, ultimately resulting in the dismantling of this highly active criminal network. Organised property crime is one of the EMPACT priorities and Europol's operational activities in this field are carried out within Analysis Project Furtum. Its broad mandate covers all aspects of property crime such as major burglaries, armed robberies (banks, jewellery, money transporters and depots), motor vehicle crimes, cargo crime, metal theft, or organised pick pocketing. Participating countries: France: Judicial Police, Central Office fighting against Organized Crime (Direction nationale de la Police judiciaire - Office central de lutte contre le crime organisé (OCLCO – BNRBT)) Germany: Central Criminal Inspectorate Oldenburg (Zentrale Kriminalinspektion Oldenburg), Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt) Netherlands: National Police, Central Unit (Politie) Spain: National Police (Policía Nacional, Unidad Trafico Ilicito Vehiculos) Sweden: Swedish Police (Polisen) Switzerland: Federal Office of Police (fedpol), Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) and various Cantonal police agencies Participating agencies: Europol, INTERPOL  

In 2020, law enforcement officers detected a number of suspicious online bets on international table tennis tournaments. Subsequent analysis led to the identification of a criminal network composed of Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, established in Spain, who were corrupting athletes mainly from these two same nationalities. The suspects targeted competitions mainly outside of Spain, while the leader of the organisation corrupted athletes playing for several football teams in Romania. They also provided this information to other fixers, and simultaneously managed to gather knowledge about frauds perpetrated by criminal organisations active in the same area.   Ahead of timeThe criminal organisation used a novel modus operandi based on technology: they used satellites to capture the live feeds of competitions before it would reach betting houses. They had also other less sophisticated systems at their disposal, which could detect the signal before it could reach the betting houses. This allowed the network to bet safely and perpetrate the fraud, thanks to this knowledge of the outcome of the matches. The suspects used this criminal manoeuvre mainly in Asian and South American soccer leagues and the Bundesliga. However, they also targeted the UEFA Nations League, the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and the ATP and ITF tennis tournaments. To avoid suspicion, they placed their bets in the names of other people, who collected the gains on their behalf. Additionally, the suspects corrupted a trader for a major betting house to secure the successful validation of the bets. Overall results 23 suspects arrested, including the leader of the organisation4 house searches Seizures include 2 real estate properties, 3 luxury vehicle, 2 large satellite dishes and signal receivers, 47 bank accounts, 80 phones, cash and EUR 13 000 in counterfeit banknotes Criminal net spread in several countriesThe suspected members of the criminal organisation had close ties with other groups active across Europe. The match-fixing network was especially involved in corrupted games in Romania. Therefore, the international cooperation between law enforcement authorities from Spain and Romania, facilitated by Europol, was instrumental for the detection and dismantling of the network. During the action day in March, Europol deployed two experts on the ground to provide real-time analytical support and expertise to field investigators. In addition, in the beginning of September 2023, the execution of an International Arrest Warrant led to the extradition to Spain of the main organiser, a former Bulgarian table tennis player. The investigation is still ongoing, as some suspected members of the network are still at large. Investigators are also looking into the identification of corrupted athletes who contributed to the perpetrated frauds. 

Malware-based cyber-attacks, specifically ransomware, remain the most prominent threat. These attacks can attain a broad reach and have a significant financial impact on industry. Europol’s spotlight report takes an in-depth look at the nature of malware attacks as well as the ransomware groups’ business structures. The theft of sensitive data could establish itself as the central goal of cyber-attacks, thereby feeding the growing criminal market of personal information. As well as shedding light on the most common intrusion tactics used by criminals, the report also highlights the significant boost in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against EU targets. Lastly, among the report’s key findings are the effects the war of aggression against Ukraine and Russia’s internal politics have had on cybercriminals. Key findings in “Cyber Attacks: The Apex of Crime-as-a-Service” Malware-based cyber-attacks remain the most prominent threat to industry; Ransomware affiliate programs have become established as the main form of business organisation for ransomware groups; Phishing emails containing malware, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) brute forcing and Virtual Private Network (VPN) vulnerability exploitation are the most common intrusion tactics; The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine led to a significant boost in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against EU targets; Initial Access Brokers (IABs), droppers-as-a-service and crypter developers are key enablers utilised in the execution of cyber-attacks;  The war of aggression against Ukraine and Russia’s internal politics have uprooted cybercriminals, pushing them to move to other jurisdictions. Europol’s response in fighting cyber-attacks Europol provides dedicated support for cybercrime investigations in the EU and thus helps protect European citizens, businesses and governments from online crime. Europol offers operational, strategic, analytical and forensic support to Member States’ investigations, including malware analysis, cryptocurrency-tracing training for investigators, and tool development projects. Based in Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), the Analysis Project Cyborg focuses on the threat of cyber-attacks and supports international investigations and operations into cyber criminality affecting critical computer and network infrastructures in the EU.

Europol’s first ever threat assessment on the topic, ‘The other side of the coin: an analysis of financial and economic crime in the EU’, sheds a light on this system which, from the shadows, sustains the finances of criminals worldwide. The report is based on a combination of operational insights and strategic intelligence contributed to Europol by EU Member States and Europol’s partners. It analyses all financial and economic crimes affecting the EU, such as money laundering, corruption, fraud, intellectual property crime, and commodity and currency counterfeiting. Europol’s Executive Director Catherine De Bolle said: Organised crime has built a parallel global criminal economy around money laundering, illicit financial transfers and corruption. With modern technology, they have diversified their modi operandi to evade detection. The report presents Europol’s expertise in financial and economic crimes, detailing how the current threats are manifesting themselves and how these crimes impact the wider society. It serves as a roadmap to foster cooperation that will derail the world of criminal finances, intercept illicit profits, and – above all else – Make Europe Safer.  The European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said: Financial and economic crime, and its scale, is a corrosive force in society. Europol and the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre are part of the solution. This report sets out the increasingly sophisticated methods of organised crime and the European law enforcement successes in fighting back. If EU Member States work together even closer on this fight, we can achieve great results. Key findings of the report  Almost 70% of criminal networks operating in the EU make use of one form of money laundering or the other to fund their activities and conceal their assets.  More than 60% of the criminal networks operating in the EU use corruptive methods to achieve their illicit objectives. 80% of the criminal networks active in the EU misuse legal business structures for criminal activities. The criminal landscape in this area is fragmented, with key players often located outside of the EU.  The techniques and tools used by the criminals advance quickly, as they take advantage of technological and geopolitical developments.  Asset recovery as a powerful deterrent  Asset recovery remains one of the most powerful tools to fight back. It deprives criminals of their ill-gotten assets and prevents them from reinvesting them in further crime or integrating them into the mainstream economy. Increasing efforts are being made by EU legislators, Member States and law enforcement to corrode the economic power of serious and organised crime through the recovery of confiscated assets. Yet the amount of captured proceeds still remains too low – below 2% of the yearly estimated proceeds of organised crime, according to a data collection carried out on seized assets for the purpose of the report.  Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre  The European Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC), founded in June 2020, is Europol’s answer to the growing threats to the economy and integrity of our financial systems. EFECC’s dedicated specialists and analysts support law enforcement and relevant public authorities in their international financial crime investigations and aims at improving the recovery of criminal assets.  In 2022, EFECC supported 402 investigations, with the demand for its skills and services increasing every year. Read the report here

According to Europol’s Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2021, almost 70% of criminal networks are active in three or more countries. In the EU alone, there are over 180 nationalities involved in organised crime activities. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of criminal groups are composed of members of different nationalities.      As these criminal threats continue to grow beyond national borders, the need for international cooperation between law enforcement actors is paramount. Every day, Europol brings law enforcement officers from across the EU and our partner countries together to prevent and combat all forms of serious international and organised crime, cybercrime, and terrorism.  This situates Europol at the heart of the European security architecture. The Agency plays a critical role as a support centre for law enforcement operations, a hub for information on criminal activities, and a focal point for law enforcement expertise and analysis. Our Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA) has 2 600 secure lines to competent authorities around the world. This allows us to exchange time-sensitive crime-related operational and strategic data quickly and efficiently between our partners. With a network of liaison officers and partners spanning more than 50 countries worldwide coming together at our headquarters in The Hague, Europol is #TheNetThatWorks. To learn more about #TheNetThatWorks, follow us on social media. X (Twitter) – Facebook – LinkedIn – Instagram

Award for operational analysis targeting DDoS attacks The first category awards an analyst, or team of analysts, for delivering outstanding operational analysis. The winning analysis shed light on an investigation targeting criminal activity that fell within Europol’s mandate. The award for Operational Analyst 2023 went to the Cybercrime Investigations Team of the Regional Criminal Police in Hessen, Germany (Hessisches Landeskriminalamt) for their work on a case targeting European-wide Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. The other two finalists in this category were: Greece: Hellenic Police (Ελληνική Αστυνομία) for a case targeting the trafficking of steroids; Spain: National Police (Policía Nacional) for an investigation against an itinerant transnational organised crime group. Innovative work on financial fraud wins the strategic analysis award  The second category awards outstanding strategic analysis, which has helped decision-makers to increase their foresight in the fight against serious and organised crime. The award for Strategic Analyst 2023 went to the German Federal Criminal Police (Bundeskriminalamt) for their analysis on investment fraud.  The other two finalists in this category were: France: National Police (Police Nationale / SIRASCO) for analysis on a new phenomenon in illegal car sub-letting; Germany: Berlin Police (Polizei Berlin) for analysis of the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.   

In January 2022, the Belgrade Department of the Serbian Criminal Police initiated an investigation into this drug cartel, believed to be involved in the wholesale trafficking of cocaine from South America to the EU. The law enforcement activities against this network extended to authorities across the EU and beyond, resulting in a large international investigation coordinated by Europol. The targeted organisation was soon suspected of organising multi-tonne cocaine shipments from Brazil to the EU. Operational intelligence pointed out that the skippers from Ukrainian and Czech nationality travelled several times to Capo Verde or other locations in West Africa to prepare their vessel for smuggling operations. Recently uncovered operational information revealed that the vessel was located in Brazil. This enabled Brazilian and Spanish authorities, supported by MAOC-N, to closely monitor its movements.The action day on 24 August 2023 led to:6 arrests15 house searches2.7 tonnes of cocaine seizedOther seizures include: two high-end vehicles, luxury watches and over EUR 550 000  in cashLarge number of bank accounts and real-estates blocked for the duration of the on-going financial investigationInvestigators identified a Serbian national as one of the main organisers in the criminal network, who was then designated to be a High Value Target (HVT). The law enforcement actions targeted this Serbian HVT, as well as other individuals instrumental for the continuous functioning of the drug cartel’s operations. These main coordinators of the drug cartel arranged the shipping operations via encrypted communication platforms.   Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided continuous analytical support to the investigation. The intelligence development revealed a complete covered network operating across continents and countries. Europol facilitated the coordination among national authorities and deployed an expert to Belgrade on the action day to support investigators on the field. Europol also facilitated the deployment of two Serbian investigators to team with the Spanish authorities during the searches of the seized vessel.Operational Taskforce targets Balkan CartelsThe takedown of three encrypted communication tools used by criminals, namely Encrochat, Sky ECC and Anom, has given international law enforcement an unprecedented insight into criminal networks and how they function. One trend uncovered was the important role of criminal networks largely composed of nationals from nationals of countries in the Balkan region play in the global cocaine trade.Europol created the Operational Taskforce Balkan Cartel to provide a response to this threat. The Operational Taskforce brings together countries from the Balkan region, the EU and worldwide, so they can effectively target these criminal networks under the leadership of members with close ties to the region.The following authorities took part in this action:Brazil: Federal Police (Policia Federal)Croatia: National Police (Služba kriminaliteta droga/PNUSKOK - Policijski nacionalni ured za suzbijanje korupcije i organiziranog kriminaliteta)France: National Police (Police Nationale / OFAST - Office anti-stupéfiants) and General Customs Directorate (Direction Générale des Douanes / DNRED -  Direction nationale du renseignement et des enquêtes douanières)Poland: Police Central Bureau of Investigation (Centralne Biuro Śledcze Policji)Portugal: Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária)Serbia: Criminal Police Directorate (Управа криминалистичке полиције, Полицијска управа за град Београд) Slovenia: National Bureau of Investigations (Nacionalni Preiskovalni Urad)Spain: National Police (Policía Nacional)  

Active since 2007, this prolific malware (also known as QBot or Pinkslipbot) evolved over time using different techniques to infect users and compromise systems. Qakbot infiltrated victims’ computers through spam emails containing malicious attachments or hyperlinks. Once installed on the targeted computer, the malware allowed for infections with next-stage payloads such as ransomware. Additionally, the infected computer became part of a botnet (a network of compromised computers) controlled simultaneously by the cybercriminals, usually without the knowledge of the victims. However, Qakbot’s primary focus was on stealing financial data and login credentials from web browsers. How does Qakbot work?  The victim receives an email with an attachment or hyperlink and clicks on it; Qakbot deceives the victim into downloading malicious files by imitating a legitimate process; Qakbot executes and then installs other malware, such as banking Trojans;  The attacker then steals financial data, browser information/hooks, keystrokes, and/or credentials; Other malware, such as ransomware, is placed on the victim’s computer. Over 700 000 infected computers worldwide  A number of ransomware groups used Qakbot to carry out a large number of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure and businesses. The administrators of the botnet provided these groups with access to the infected networks for a fee. The investigation suggests that between October 2021 and April 2023, the administrators have received fees corresponding to nearly EUR 54 million in ransoms paid by the victims. The lawful examination of the seized infrastructure uncovered that the malware had infected over 700 000 computers worldwide. Law enforcement detected servers infected with Qakbot in almost 30 countries in Europe, South and North America, Asia and Africa, enabling the malware’s activity on a global scale. Over the course of the investigation, Europol facilitated the information exchange between participating agencies, supported the coordination of operational activities, and funded operational meetings. Europol also provided analytical support linking available data to various criminal cases within and outside the EU. The Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT) at Europol also supported the operation. This standing operational team consists of cybercrime liaison officers from different countries who work on high-profile cybercrime investigations. Eurojust actively facilitated the cross-border judicial cooperation between the national authorities involved. The Agency hosted a coordination meeting in July 2023 to facilitate evidence sharing and to prepare for this joint operation. Law enforcement authorities involved: France: National Police (Police Nationale) and National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) Germany: Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt)  Latvia: State Police (Valsts policija) The Netherlands: National Police (Politie) Romania: Romanian Police (Poliția Română) United Kingdom: National Crime Agency United States: Federal Bureau of Investigation (US FBI) Judicial authorities involved: France: National Jurisdiction against Organised Crime (JUNALCO), Public Prosecutor’s Office Cybercrime Unit;  Germany: Prosecutor General's Office Frankfurt am Main – Cyber Crime Centre; The Netherlands: National Public Prosecutor’s Office Rotterdam United States: US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section

The investigation, initiated in March 2022, focused on a Polish-flagged vessel with an established temporary base in the Canary Islands, and which was suspected of being used for the transportation of cocaine. Since then, law enforcement authorities monitored the activities of the crew. One of the individuals, an Italian national, was linked to the Italian ´Ndrangheta and the other, a Croatian national, was linked to the so-called Balkan Cartel. Although they had no professional activity, both were enjoying high living standards while maintaining the vessel in excellent condition. The suspicious vessel was making irregular trips to demonstrate normality up until 27 July 2023, when the Spanish authorities detected an unusual trip to an isolated point deeper in the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel departed from there on 2 August and three days later Spanish authorities raided the ship and uncovered 700 kilograms of cocaine on it. Meanwhile, officers on the ground in Spain arrested the Croatian suspect and another person, a Serbian national, both suspected of coordinating the drug smuggling operation from the land. During the arrests, the suspects were found in possession of the phones from which they coordinated the criminal activity. Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided continuous analytical support to the investigation. Europol also contributed to the overall case coordination among various agencies and supported the action day remotely.  

The action day on 20 June led to: 19 arrests (16 Syrian and 3 Moroccan nationals) 7 locations searched Multiples seizures including 5 vehicles, mobile and storage devices (smartphones, computers, memory sticks), about EUR 10 000 in cash and various documents  At least 550 migrants smuggled from Syria In June 2022, Spanish authorities initiated an investigation into this criminal group, which was based in the provinces of Toledo and Cuenca. The criminal organisation facilitated the transportation of irregular migrants from the coasts of Almeria and Murcia to the area surrounding Madrid, accommodating them in seven locations they used for this purpose. The suspects kept these locations in unsanitary conditions, putting migrants’ health at risk from their clandestine entry into Spain until their departure towards their final destination via land or air.  The suspects facilitated the transferral of migrants to Madrid – Barajas airport, while arranging tickets to destinations in Western and Northern Europe, mainly Germany and Norway. The criminal network is suspected of organising over 68 illegal transfers, and the consequent smuggling of more than 550 Syrian migrants into the EU.  Up to EUR 20 000 per person for the full journey The criminal group was closely connected to other migrant smuggling cells facilitating smuggling from Asia and Africa towards Europe. This interconnection, revealed over the course of the investigation, illustrates the international scale of an intercontinental migrant smuggling network active across Asia, Africa and Europe. The close-knit network would transfer migrants between local traffickers from one country to another, while arranging the collection and distribution of the criminal profits using the hawala underground banking system. The total price for the journey from Syria to the final European destination totalled more than EUR 20 000. The prices per leg of the smuggling route were as follows:  EUR 4 000 from Beirut, Lebanon to Egypt via plane;  EUR 3 500 from Egypt via Libya and Tunis to Algeria via land;  EUR 10 000 from the Algerian Oran y Mostaganem coast to the Spanish coasts of Almeria and Murcia via sea, and then via land to Madrid, Cuanca and Toledo; between EUR 1 000 and EUR 2 000 from Spain to Germany and Norway.  Europol’s role Europol facilitated the exchange of information, and provided operational coordination and analytical support. A large part of the operational analysis was developed in the framework of the Information Clearing House, created to enhance the intelligence picture on organised migrant smuggling from source and transit countries.  During the action day, Europol deployed an analyst to Spain to enable the real-time exchange of information and cross-check operational information against Europol’s databases to provide leads to investigators in the field. Following the actions, Europol provided extensive forensic support to the Spanish authorities to analyse the new data collected during the operational actions. Europol facilitated also the deployment of German officers on the spot to facilitate appropriate data collection and the exchange of evidence. 

Five of its administrators were arrested, and all of its servers seized, rendering LolekHosted.net no longer available.  This latest success in the fight against cybercrime follows a complex investigation supported by Europol and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Criminal hideouts for lease Bulletproof hosting is a service in which an online infrastructure is offered, and operators will generally turn a blind eye to what customers use their rented domains for. However, being willing to ignore the transgressions of clients does not mean that law enforcement will take the same stance. The complex investigation into LolekHosted.net revealed how the service facilitated the distribution information-stealing malware, and also the launching of DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks, fictitious online shops, Botnet server management and distribution of spam messages worldwide. The suspects marketed privacy as a key feature of this service, using slogans such as “You can host anything here!” and “no-log policy”. Payments were to be made in cryptocurrencies. European coordination Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) provided analytical support linking available data to various criminal cases within and outside the EU, and supported the investigation through operational analysis, crypto tracing, and forensic analysis.  The Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT) hosted at Europol’s headquarters facilitated the information exchange. This standing operational team consists of cybercrime liaison officers from different countries who work on high-profile cybercrime investigations.  

Typically, the victims were recruited in Romania before being brought to the United Kingdom for sexual exploitation. The organised crime group operated an escort service agency in London, through which it would advertise the sexual services provided by their victims. When the escort service received a booking, members of the criminal group would bring the Romanian women to the client and collect at least half of the payment afterwards. As well as having to surrender most of their earnings, victims would also have to pay for transport, lodging and advertising, which rendered them financially dependent on the traffickers. To keep the exploited women under their control, members of the criminal group also resorted to threats and violence. In addition to being suspected of forcing women into prostitution, the traffickers are also under investigation for money laundering. Europol's role Europol supported the investigation from the very beginning by hosting operational meetings and a virtual command post at its headquarters in The Hague. During the action day, Europol provided analytical as well as operational support to the involved police forces and deployed staff with a mobile office to Romania. Europol also participated in the joint investigation team set up by Eurojust, in which representatives of judicial and law enforcement agencies from both countries worked together on the case. Two Romanian police officers took part in the action day in London, while four Metropolitan Police officers attended the operation in Romania. This staff exchange between Romania and the United Kingdom was funded by an EMPACT high-value grant. Participating authorities: Romania: Romanian Police – Directorate for Combating Organised Criminality - Iași Regional Unit – Trafficking in Human Beings Unit; Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism; Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice United Kingdom: Metropolitan Police Modern Slavery Unit; Crown Prosecution Service, Complex Case Unit, London South Participating agencies: Europol, Eurojust  

Europol supported the Spanish investigators in revealing a complex criminal network engaged in match-fixing, money laundering and document fraud. Allegedly, the team president managed the match-fixing scheme by involving trusted players in the practice. To avoid suspicion, the players relied on third parties such as relatives to place and collect their fraudulent bets. During the investigation, a Europol specialist and an analyst with a mobile office were deployed to Spain to perform real-time cross-checks and assist the investigators with forensic analysis of electronic devices.

The investigation revealed a complex criminal infrastructure set up in many cities across Spain, Greece and in Serbia, flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances in order to keep their illicit business going. On the action day in June 2023, police officers from all three countries seized a variety of criminal assets including hundreds of forged documents and forgery equipment. In total, 18 pieces of real estate, 33 vehicles and 144 bank accounts, alongside vast sums of cash in various currencies, were seized.  Unusually long and expensive smuggling route The investigation was triggered in October 2021 after Serbian, Greek, North Macedonian and Finnish authorities reported an increased number of Cuban citizens attempting to enter Europe with falsified documentation. In January 2023, a Joint Intelligence Notification depicting this trend was issued by Europol, the European Union Agency for Asylum, and Frontex. The notification with the subject “Cuban nationals smuggled into the EU: shifting routes and modi operandi in a changed geo-political landscape” reported on the effect the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine had on migrant smuggling routes.  Initially, Cuban nationals used to fly commercially to Russia from Cuba. There, smugglers offered them the opportunity to either cross the Finnish-Russian border irregularly in order to enter EU territory, or to fly to Serbia to continue their journey into Central or Southern Europe through the Western Balkan region. Since the beginning of the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine, the route was changed. Cuban nationals were flown to Serbia via Frankfurt airport, Germany. Upon the Cuban nationals’ arrival in Serbia, members of the criminal network would facilitate their irregular entry to North Macedonia and Greece by land. Using a variety of routes, the smugglers would direct large groups of migrants and make them walk in the dark without supplies for hours. In addition to these arduous conditions, the criminals would take advantage of the most vulnerable migrants, including minors, and subject them to scams, robberies, and extortion. In some cases, women were transferred to other criminal groups for sexual exploitation. Upon their arrival in Greece, the migrants would either apply for asylum or use further transport to other EU countries organised by the criminals, such as flights to Spain or sea transport to Italy. In order to travel within the EU, the criminal network provided migrants with forged documents or utilised the so-called lookalike method, in which genuine travel documents are stolen and distributed to a migrant closely resembling the real passport holder.  Europol’s role Europol organised a number of operational meetings and facilitated cooperation, coordination and exchanges of personnel among its partners. During the action day, three Europol analysts and a specialist were deployed to Spain, Greece and Serbia. The analysts and the specialist provided on-the-spot support with intelligence analysis and cross match reports. Furthermore, a team of Europol investigators supported the action day from Europol’s Headquarters in The Hague by providing coordination and guidance to the deployed personnel. Participating authorities: Germany: Federal Police (Bundespolizei) Greece: Hellenic Police / Organized Crime and Human Trafficking Subdirectorate of Attica (Elliniki Astynomia, Ελληνική Αστυνομία / Υποδιεύθυνση Αντιμετώπισης Οργανωμένου Εγκλήματος και Εμπορίας Ανθρώπων Αττικής), Hellenic Coast Guard (Limeniko Soma - Elliniki Aktofylaki, Λιμενικό Σώμα - Ελληνική Ακτοφυλακή) North Macedonia: Ministry of Interior (Ministerstvo za vnatrešni raboti, Министерство за внатрешни работи) Spain: National Police (Policía Nacional) Serbia: Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, Criminal Police Directorate, Service for Combating Organized Crime (MINISTARSTVO UNUTRAŠNJIH POSLOVA, UPRAVA KRIMINALISTIČKE POLICIJE, Služba za borbu protiv organizovanog kriminala)

The suspect, a Colombian national, is believed to have been coordinated cocaine and methamphetamine production in the Netherlands for Mexican cartels. The suspect is also associated with the import of large amounts of cocaine and with various drug labs in the Netherlands. The 43 year-old man, who was arrested on a Dutch arrest warrant, is now in custody awaiting his extradition to the Netherlands.  The Dutch-led investigation was able to tie this suspect to a seizure of 2.5 tonnes of methamphetamine in 2019. He is also associated with laundering large amounts of money. A total of EUR 20 million transferred from the Netherlands to Mexico and Colombia have been linked to him. Europol’s support was instrumental in the success of this case In the framework of its work on encrypted criminal communications, Europol developed intelligence on Mexican and Colombian drug trafficking organisations active in Europe. These criminal networks had up to then operated mostly under the radar of law enforcement. Europol’s analysis helped identify the key targets in Europe and Latin America, alongside cocaine and methamphetamine production facilities scattered across Europe.  Europol organised a number coordination meetings in order to bring together all the involved countries to develop a joint strategy to bring down these networks. Over the course of the investigation, several drug labs were dismantled in Europe, and over 50 suspects arrested. The Colombian suspect was on the run, with law enforcement across the world working together to locate him and bring him to justice.  Europol deployed one of its experts to Colombia and funded the deployment of a Dutch investigator to assist the national authorities with his arrest. Colombia also deployed three investigators to Europol’s headquarters to work jointly on this case with Europol and their counterparts in EU Member States.  The following authorities took part in this operation:  The Netherlands: Dutch National Police (Politie) Spain: National Police (Policía Nacional) and Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) Colombia: National Police (Policía Nacional de Colombia) United States: US Drug Enforcement Administration (US DEA) Europol: European Serious Organised Crime Centre (ESOCC)  

A total of 6 suspects have been arrested, and searches conducted at 12 houses and 6 hostels, following action involving 110 officers from the Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária) and 12 officers from the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras). This action is the result of a joint investigation started one and half years ago between France and Portugal, with the support of Spain and Germany, together with Europol and Eurojust.  From France to Portugal by rental car The smugglers used a unique modus operandi to carry out their illegal activity: they would abuse an online issuance process of Portuguese residence permits by facilitating migrants to illegally apply for it. They managed this by reporting fraudulent permanent addresses and occupations of the migrants in Portugal.  This process would mainly take place virtually, except for an in-person interview. In this case, the criminal group would rent various vehicles in Portugal to pick up the migrants, who were residing in various EU countries, from an agreed meeting point in France. From there the migrants were brought to Portugal to attend the interview, before the criminals would transfer them back to France via small mountain passes to avoid law enforcement detection. The migrants would then continue their journey within the EU with their newly acquired documentation.  To date, France reported the interception of 18 smugglers belonging to this network, apprehended while trying to cross the French-Spanish border on their way to Portugal with a total of 150 irregular migrants. However the joint investigation highlighted that the network rented at least 337 vehicles over the past one and half years, allowing the transport of as many as 6000 irregular migrants. For performing the irregular application procedure the organisers asked up to EUR 10 000 per migrant, and charged EUR 200 to EUR 400 for the transport between France and Portugal.  Successful European cooperation Europol facilitated the information exchange between the participating countries, organised 7 operational meeting and provided more than 10 analytical products. Eurojust also organised 3 coordination meetings and supported the creation of a Joint Operational Team between France and Portugal.  On the action day, Europol deployed European Migrant Smuggling Centre (EMSC) experts to Lisbon, Portugal, to facilitate real-time communication exchanges and facilitated the deployment of officers from France, Spain and Germany. This investigation was carried out in the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).   

Europol’s ninth Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA), whose first module is published today, takes an in-depth look into the online criminal ecosystem, examining notable actors, their attack vectors and victims.  Cybercrime has become a big business, with an entire illicit economy set up to support it with service providers, recruiters and financial services. This makes investigating cyber-attacks ever more challenging for law enforcement, with multiple specialised actors working on parts of the criminal process from every corner of the globe.  Europol’s IOCTA aims at providing and understanding of modern cybercrime to equip law enforcement with the knowledge to fight back. This report and accompanying modules are based on operational information contributed to Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, combined with expert insights and open source intelligence.  Focus of the report  Cybercriminal services are intertwined Similar techniques for different goals The central commodity is stolen data Same victims, multiple offences The underground communities to educate and recruit cybercriminals What happens with the criminal profits? Europol’s support The current summary presents the main overarching findings concerning the different typologies of cybercrime, namely cyber-attacks, online fraud schemes and online child sexual exploitation. It will be followed by a series of spotlight publications covering each of the crime areas in-depth.  Read the report Sign up for a publication notification for the forthcoming spotlight reports

This specific modus operandi was discovered and further pursued within the framework of OPSON, a large-scale investigation into the food industry coordinated by Europol. The ensuing investigations pursued by Member States and coordinated by Europol led to two targeted operations. Two massive hits against food fraudsters On 23 May 2023, Lithuanian Police (Lietuvos policija) and law enforcement from other Member States, coordinated by Europol and Eurojust, dismantled an organised crime group that reintroduced millions of expired food products with altered labels on the market. The criminals, who are also under investigation for large-scale VAT fraud, are believed to have made at least EUR 1 million in profits from their food labelling scam. Officers conducting 70 searches and inspections of warehouses, among other locations, seized equipment for altering the expiry dates on products. This equipment included household solvents, printers and labels. In total, over one million food and beverage packages were found and prevented from entering the market. An action day on 11 July 2023 led to the arrest of three individuals. Europol coordinated the action day conducted in Italy by the Italian Carabinieri (Nuclei Antisofisticazione e Sanità dell'Arma dei Carabinieri), with the support of the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza). Law enforcement conducted 14 searches and seized more than 500 000 food and beverage items as well as equipment used by the criminals. Many of the seized food items were not only expired but already spoiled, highlighting the harm that could have been done to consumers. The criminal network collected expired food and beverages for little to no cost and replaced the expiry dates with new ones to enable their resale. Upon reintroducing these items into the supply chain, massive gains were made on the backs of unwitting consumers. The phenomenon is new in its scale and diffused across several EU Member States. However, there is no involvement of food producers, as intermediate suppliers or other entities working in food disposal are used as facilitators in this particular criminal activity. Europol’s role Europol identified the phenomenon as one of the main incoming threats during the COVID-19 pandemic and alerted EU Member States by disseminating operational plans. An important link connecting the Lithuanian and Italian investigations was found by Europol specialists, thus demonstrating the large scale of the trend. Europol officers were deployed on the action days to provide on-the-spot support with mobile offices and conduct forensic analysis.  Participating Member States and authorities Investigation leading to action day on 23 May 2023: Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Romania, Europol, Eurojust Investigation leading to action day on 11 July 2023: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Europol

In a spotlight report published today, Europol provides a picture of the most important developments in the migrant smuggling landscape over the last year. Based upon operational intelligence contributed to the EMSC in 2022, the report details what the main features of modern migrant smuggling networks are, and how these networks administer themselves. It also explains phenomena such as criminal networks operating together in ‘joint ventures’, where illicit actors cooperate at various stages in the migrant smuggling chain.  Focus of the report The global, collaborative and agile nature of criminal networks  How criminal networks are organised: roles and collaboration The tools enabling migrant smuggling  Links to trafficking in human beings Europol’s response and way forward  Europol’s European Migrant Smuggling Centre  Established in 2016 in the aftermath of the migration crisis in Europe, the EMSC covers two Analytical Projects (APs). These are dedicated to tackling migrant smuggling (AP Migrant Smuggling) and trafficking in human beings (AP Phoenix). Both APs play a crucial role in coordinating and supporting law enforcement partners in EU Member States in conducting high-profile operations against criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling. Read the spotlight report here.

Six strategic objectivesThe new strategy now includes six strategic objectives:be the EU criminal information hub;deliver agile operational support;be a platform for European policing solutions;be at the forefront of law enforcement innovation and research;be the model EU law enforcement organisation;bring relevant partners together for cross-border cooperation and joint action. New and enhanced partnershipsA new strategic objective has been added: bringing relevant partners together for cross-border cooperation and joint action. On this aspect of the strategy, Europol's Executive Director Catherine De Bolle stated:This additional objective emphasises Europol’s important remit in this respect. It reflects the important and crucial role our partners want us to take up. To make Europe safer, we want to excel as a criminal intelligence hub and as the operational support centre our partners need today.According to the new objective, partnerships in a broader sense will be a priority on Europol’s agenda. In addition to the Member States, Schengen associated countries and third countries will be essential partners, together with the Agencies in the area of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). Private parties, including companies, academia, NGOs, and research institutes, will be key collaborators too. Interpol will continue to be an important bridge towards countries around the world with which Europol has no cooperation arrangements in place. Strengthening Europol’s operational relevance for Member StatesEuropol is preparing for a huge increase in users in the Member States. To manage this increase in demand, it will develop meaningful self-service products and services, and facilitate easy access. In addition, in order to deliver where it can make the biggest operational difference, Europol will focus on three priorities:supporting large, real-time investigations;offering specialised expertise, such as cryptocurrency tracing;providing high-end technical assistance, through the decryption platform.Download the new strategy here.

A number of actions have been carried out over recent months in Brazil, Spain and Portugal to target the members of this highly professional criminal syndicate. On 4 May, coordinated raids were carried out in Spain and Portugal. 20 house searches were executed in Spain (provinces of Málaga, Cordoba, Madrid, Cantabria, Vizcaya) and 4 in Portugal (Cascais and Sintra), resulting in 24 arrests. Over 73 kilos of methamphetamine, 5 firearms and more than EUR 116 000 in cash were seized. Seven other members of the same gang had been arrested earlier in Spain, Portugal and Brazil.  This series of arrests follows the June 2022 seizure of 800 kilos of cocaine hidden in a container of frozen acai berries originating from Brazil, in the port of Sines, Portugal.  Global cooperation In the framework of intelligence activities underway with its operational counterparts, Europol developed reliable intelligence concerning international drug trafficking by a Brazilian organised crime network operating in several EU countries. The Brazilian criminal syndicate had direct contact with cocaine producers in Brazil and other South American source countries, and was responsible for the preparation and shipment of cocaine in maritime containers bound for major European ports. In August 2022, Europol brought together the investigators from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, who have since been working together to establish a joint strategy to bring the whole network down.  Since then, Europol has provided continuous intelligence development and analysis to support the field investigators. During the action day in Brazil, two officers were deployed on the ground in Brazil to assist the national authorities, ensuring swift analysis of new data as it was collected during the action. Participating authorities: Brazil: Federal Police (Policia Federal) Spain: Civil Guard (Guardia Civil)  Portugal: Judicial Police (Policia Judiciária) 

Over 27 000 officers carried out inspections in a total of 11 360 locations in a range of sectors, including gastronomy, agriculture and the beauty industry, focusing in particular on the exploitation of non-EU nationals and refugees. Over the span of the action week, 65 839 individuals and 22 958 vehicles were checked. As a result of these checks, 57 suspects were identified and 21 were arrested for labour exploitation, with a total of 261 victims identified. Data gathered during the operation has led to the launch of 86 new investigations in order to identify further potential suspects and victims linked to human trafficking cases across the EU and abroad. This interlinked approach, which involved both law enforcement and labour authorities, facilitated the exchange of information and knowledge about human trafficking indicators.  Food and delivery services targeted Each participating authority screened for the most prominent forms of labour exploitation in their respective jurisdiction. National and regional police bodies, border guards, labour authorities and labour inspectorates worked hand-in-glove to identify, safeguard and protect victims of labour exploitation. Inspections were mostly carried out in labour-intensive sectors which require low-skilled workers. Employees in industries such as transport, logistics and construction are more vulnerable to exploitation due to factors such as the informal, unstable and underpaid nature of their work and a lack of agency to seek justice if their rights are violated.  The operational activities targeted a range of sectors, including food and meat processing, restaurants, delivery and food delivery services, beauty salons, construction, mining, transportation and agriculture. Checks took place at key border crossing points in countries of origin, transit and destination. Officials also targeted the labour exploitation of housekeepers and caregivers at home. In total, 70 661 documents were checked during the action week, as human traffickers often rely on the use of fraudulent and false documents. Vulnerable groups targeted for exploitation As part of the joint actions, authorities from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom targeted a specific restaurant chain. Labour and social security inspectorates - together with customs, police, food safety and occupational safety and health agencies - conducted simultaneous checks in 15 restaurants across Europe. Some locations were closed immediately and several fines were imposed on the spot.  Inspections by the Dutch Labour Inspectorate performed in Indian restaurants in Amsterdam, The Hague and Almere led to the identification of least five undeclared employees without valid employment permits. The victims, facing poor working conditions, were underpaid and had to work longer hours than permitted. Authorities also focused on identifying criminal networks exploiting the Ukrainian war as refugees fleeing warzones represent a particularly vulnerable group. The involved authorities worked closely together to identify possible perpetrators and victims.  Europol’s role Europol supported the action week around the clock with analysts processing data shared by the participating authorities. Europol coordinated the action days and facilitated the information exchange between the participating countries. Europol provided analytical and operational support 24/7 and facilitated the real-time exchange of communication between the participating authorities and deployed experts to help investigators on the ground. The close collaboration between labour authorities and law enforcement significantly contributed to the success of the action fighting human trafficking. Participating Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden Participating non-EU countries: Albania,  Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Ukraine Participating authorities: Eurojust, European Labour Authority, Frontex

The investigation revealed that the criminal network, possibly active since 2017, was involved in a wide range of illegal activities, including migrant smuggling and the trafficking of drugs and firearms. Well established in several EU and Middle Eastern countries, the criminal network used an unusually long and expensive route to smuggle irregular migrants from Syria into the EU; starting in Syria, irregular migrants were taken via Sudan or the UAE towards Libya. From Libya they were taken to Algeria, before the journey into Europe via the Mediterranean.  For the final leg of the journey, the suspects facilitated their illegal entry into Spain across the Western Mediterranean. Syrian nationals are usually smuggled through the Eastern Mediterranean, from Turkey to Greece. Although some irregular migrants remained in Spain, the final destination countries for the majority of those who managed to reach Spanish shores were France, Belgium, Germany and Norway. The action day resulted in: 13 locations searched  15 individuals arrested  items seized include 2 speed boats, 6 vehicles, electronic equipment (laptops and a tablet, GPS device, storage devices), drugs, fuel, phones (42 cell phones and two satellite phones), over EUR 500 000 in cash and documents.  Network spanned nine countries The criminal network, led by a Syrian suspect, benefited from a widespread infrastructure in the countries along the route, mainly Lebanon, Sudan, Libya and Algeria. The suspects arranged for the smuggling of at least 200 migrants through the rarely used migration route from Syria through Sudan or the United Arab Emirates. In Libya, the smugglers used corrupt officials to facilitate the transfer to Algeria, from where the migrants were transported to Spain on high-speed boats. In Europe, members of the criminal network based in Belgium, Germany and Spain coordinated the sea crossings and facilitated the secondary movements to the destination countries. The suspects charged between EUR 7 000 and EUR 20 000 per person for the trip.  The criminal network facilitated the entire logistics of the journey, including transport, paperwork in some countries, flight tickets and accommodation along the route. The ‘VIP service’, which costs up to EUR 20 000, included special extras such as a transfer from the arrival point on the Spanish mainland as well as accommodation in Spain. The criminal network implemented stringent security measures to ensure the successful outcome of its illegal operations. The suspects had placed physical and video surveillance at several clandestine points along the coast where the irregular migrants were expected to be brought.  Information exchange – a crucial step in the investigation  Europol facilitated the exchange of information, provided operational coordination and analytical support. A number of operational meetings were organised throughout this year-long investigation. During the action week, Europol deployed the lead analyst to Spain as well as teams of investigators to enable the real-time exchange of information and cross-check operational information against Europol’s databases to provide leads to investigators in the field. Following the actions, Europol provided extensive forensic support to the Spanish authorities to analyse the new data collected during the operational actions.  A large part of the operational analysis was developed in the framework of the Information Clearing House, created to enhance the intelligence picture on organised migrant smuggling from source and transit countries. This exchange of criminal intelligence has resulted in the detection of new trends, including new modi operandi in the migrant smuggling landscape. The exchange of intelligence related to such trends and smuggling incidents detected en route provides investigators from national authorities with valuable investigation leads on the extent of the criminal activity and the wide geographical span of such criminal network.   

Unwitting accomplices sent to collect cash The organised criminal network specialised in calling elderly citizens across Germany and Poland pretending to be police officers or representing other official authorities. Victims were informed that one of their relatives has been responsible for a car accident or similar event resulting in injuries or death of other persons. The scam caller would then hand over the phone to an accomplice, who would cry or scream into the phone frantically, imploring the victim to lend help. This approach was intended to shock the elderly person, allowing the caller to proceed with the fraudulent procedure and ask for the handover of money to avoid the fake relative’s detention. The criminals would instruct the victim about the handover procedure, then send a person to collect the money at the victim’s doorstep. In order to minimise exposure and avoid the risk of arrest, the criminal network recruited unwitting accomplices for this task, via online job platforms. Over the course of the investigation, over 70 persons taking part in this scam were arrested, for instance while they were collecting money at the victim’s homes. The overall damage amounts to around EUR 5 million and is estimated that up to EUR 1.4 million of losses could be prevented thanks to this successful takedown.   Financial damage, emotional distress and loss of trust authorities as consequence Crime targeting elderly citizens through scam calls, where individuals impersonate representatives of police and judicial authorities, poses a grave danger and has a profound impact on the victims. Apart from the suffered and often irrecoverable financial damage, it can cause emotional distress and a loss of trust in legitimate authorities.  In addition to impersonating officials, including law enforcement and in some cases healthcare personnel, other impersonation scams include the so-called grandchild or nephew trick. In these cases, perpetrators pose as close relatives of the targeted victims, most often the elderly, and pretend to have encountered financial, legal or health difficulties in order to fraudulently obtain money.  Criminal networks active in impersonation frauds pose a significant threat within the EU and are highly adaptable to wider developments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, some perpetrators adapted their schemes to pretend to be sick relatives in need of money. It is important to stay vigilant and protect yourself from scam calls by not sharing personal or financial information with unknown callers. Law enforcement and other officials will never ask for money or payments over the telephone or in person by showing up at your door. If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately and call the police.  Europol’s role Europol supported this investigation with three operational meetings held in The Hague and United Kingdom. Furthermore, Europol analysed the provided data and supported the investigators with specialised knowledge of this crime field.   Participating authorities: Germany: Bureau of Investigation Baden-Wuerttemberg (Landeskriminalamt Baden-Württemberg) Poland: Biuro Kryminalne Komendy Głównej Policji (Criminal Bureau of the National Police Headquarters in Warsaw); Komenda Wojewódzka Policji w Katowicach (Vivoidship Police Headquarters in Katowice) United Kingdom: National Crime Agency  Watch a prevention film about “fake police officers” by the Bureau of Investigation Baden-Wuerttemberg (in German only) 

The project won the ‘public vote’ category, which saw members of the public vote for their favourite out of more than 50 projects. Europol staff who worked on the project received their award in person at a ceremony in the heart of Brussels, where they met with other award winners and nominees from across the EU administration. Europol launched the project in partnership with the Italian authorities at an event in Rome in 2021. The platform quickly gained virtually unanimous support and participation within the EU. The NextGenerationEU Law Enforcement Forum addresses criminal infiltrations that threaten the proper distribution of EU recovery funds. The EU Commission implemented the NextGenerationEU mechanism to support individuals and businesses across the EU recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, using it to allocate funds from a dedicated pool of some EUR 800 billion.  Podcast and Europol Tool Repository also nominated  Also among the projects nominated were The Europol Podcast and the Europol Tool Repository. The podcast provides an inside look at Europol operations by telling the stories through the officers who directly worked on the cases. The Europol Tool Repository, an initiative from Europol’s Innovation Lab, promotes enhanced cooperation among law enforcement authorities in Europe by providing a dedicated online platform for law enforcement to share software and good practice.  

Overall results include: 8 locations searched in Cádiz and Málaga 13 arrests  Seizures included: 6.5 tonnes of cocaine, vehicles, luxury watches, a large number of electronic devices and EUR 1.5 million in cash  Drugged banana containers The leader of the criminal network is considered to be one of Spain’s biggest drug traffickers. Based in Malaga, the kingpin headed a large-scale network, smuggling tonnes of cocaine from Ecuador and Colombia to the EU in a wholesale type of criminal business structure. The crime boss is also a member of a well-known local family from the Spanish city Castellar de la Frontera, which used a wholesale frozen fish company in Algeciras as a front business.  The criminal network laundered the illicit assets through this company, while also being involved in attempts to corrupt public officials. As for the smuggling of cocaine, the criminal network used another means to stash their illicit cargo – bananas. The cover shipment was the importation of bananas from Ecuador and Colombia. Once the shipments were extracted from the port of Algeciras and were on their way to their legal destination, they were diverted to a warehouse where the pallets with cocaine were replaced with identical ones containing bananas.  Over the past seven months, national authorities seized a number of large cocaine shipments linked to this criminal organisation. In December 2022, the Colombian Police seized about 3 tonnes of cocaine concealed in banana shipments transiting from the port of Turbo via the port of Cartagena and destined for the Spanish port of Algeciras. In another incident, Colombian authorities intercepted a second shipment of 1.25 tonnes of cocaine at the port of Cartagena. The legal destination of this shipment was the Spanish port of Vigo. However, the cargo had to first pass by the port of Algeciras, where the drugs should have been extracted by the criminal network.  In May 2023, to avoid possible interceptions in Colombia, the criminal network arranged a new shipment directly from Ecuador to Algeciras. This time, the drugs reached Spain and an associate of the network extracted the pallets from the port area. The Spanish authorities intercepted this large shipment of 2.296 tonnes of cocaine while it was on its way to a nearby warehouse. The cocaine was hidden between legal shipments of bananas. During this intervention, Spanish officers arrested seven suspects. The Colombian and Spanish authorities seized 6.5 tonnes of cocaine in total, valued at about EUR 223 million on the illegal market. 

Arrests: 10  Searches: 13 locations Overall seizures: 284 marijuana plants, 9 vehicles, 13 mobile phones, about EUR 36 000 in cash and scaling and packaging equipment during the action day and previously - 1 147 kg hashish and 755 kg marijuana  Modus operandi: The criminal network shipped cannabis concealed in truck transporting bag with virgin wool. Europol’s contribution: Europol supported the operation by providing analysis products as well as coordinating the operational meetings between the participants. Europol also contributed with forensic support and deployment of a mobile office on the spot during the action day. For additional information, please reach out to Europol’s Press Office. 

With an increase of over 50 percent in arrests and seizures, Operation LAKE’s latest season marked a new record as the most successful yet. Among the 256 arrested were nationals of China, Malaysia, France, Spain and Portugal, including two high-value targets and fifty of their closest associates. These successes substantially disrupt the organised criminal networks involved in this multi-billion euro activity. In addition, authorities seized criminal assets worth over EUR one million and bank accounts containing over EUR two million.Law enforcement effort as last resort for eelsOperation LAKE targets the trafficking of the protected European glass eel, one of the most devastating crimes against wildlife worldwide. While the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) population has decreased by 90 % in recent years, persistent law enforcement activities against eel trafficking could be partly responsible for preventing the species from being wiped out entirely.The trafficking of glass eels is one of the most substantial and lucrative illegal trades of protected species across the globe, with illegal profits estimated to be up to EUR 3 billion in peak years. Successful law enforcement efforts in combating this threat to European wildlife have made a big contribution to the significant decrease in illegal activity. Estimates show that incidents involving the trafficking of eels have fallen by 50 % since 2016, the year after Operation LAKE was launched. Since then, more than 750 individuals have been arrested and 26 tonnes of glass eels have been prevented from being smuggled and could be returned to their natural habitats.Sophisticated environmental crimeSeveral criminal networks are responsible for trafficking these fish from Europe to Asia. Within these criminal organisations, EU nationals are mainly responsible for illegally fishing the young eels in European waters while nationals from the destination countries in Asia arrange further logistics and transportation. In certain cases, glass eels are bought from poachers, in others, legally fished glass eels are deviated to illegal markets. Typically, local fishers fish the eels in rivers, using illegal and forbidden methods that often cause extreme damage to the river fauna. There is a legal market for glass eels within the EU and  fish can be moved through Europe for farming or restocking. Criminals therefore rely on and misuse legally operating EU companies, under their control.After fishing, the eels are transported and stored in warehouses, as well as houses and apartments across Europe. Generally, Asian members of the criminal network tend to be responsible for preparing the live fish for transport in passengers’ suitcases or cargo shipments. The modus operandi ranges from camouflaged packages labelled as commodities using commercial flights, eels hidden in passengers’ luggage, or transported in vehicles. These fragile fish have to survive the trip to Asia in sealed boxes or plastic bags equipped to provide a certain water temperature and oxygen supply.Once the eels arrive in Asia, they are grown in fish farms and then distributed to different markets around the globe. The trade in glass eels, regarded as a delicacy in many Asian countries, is one of the most impactful forms of wildlife trafficking worldwide. It is suspected that around 100 tonnes of glass eels may be smuggled annually from European Union Member States, with prices reaching staggering numbers of up to several thousand euros per kilo. Europol’s roleEuropol coordinated the operational activities, hosted a virtual command post, facilitated the information exchange and provided analytical and forensic support to national law enforcement authorities across continents. During the action days, Europol deployed experts to the hot spots to cross-check operational information against Europol’s databases in real time and provide leads to investigators in the field.Operation LAKE targets the trafficking of endangered species in the European Union and aims to dismantle violent organised crime groups involved in associated illegal activities, such as environmental crime, smuggling, money laundering, tax evasion and document counterfeiting. Participating countries and agencies: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic,  Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Colombia, Georgia, Moldova, Morocco, North Macedonia, Serbia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, DG SANTE (Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety), EFCA (European Fisheries Control Agency), Eurojust, OLAF (European Anti-Fraud Office) and INTERPOL. 

Investigators found that the suspects engaged in an alarming variety of criminal activities including: the corruption of local politicians;  manipulation of elections;  instalment of confidants in crucial administrative positions;  collusion in public procurement tender procedures; murder, violence and extortion;  fraud and money laundering; illicit waste trafficking;  criminal conspiracy with other criminal organisations.  Poly-criminal network abusing public offices Based on the evidence collected during the joint investigation, this particular branch of the ‘Ndrangheta mafia was able to manipulate local elections in Calabria. ‘Ndrangheta installed its members in crucial administrative and political positions in order to control and exploit the territory. Extortion and violence were part of the clan’s modus operandi. In order to impose the syndicate’s authority, its kingpin even ordered a homicide in 2014.   The criminal network was able to influence public procurement procedures in Italy, which resulted in taking advantage of at least EUR 3 million in European Union funds. Investigators proved that the criminals were able to set up complex worldwide money laundering schemes through key facilitators, such as hackers. German hackers were able to defraud the banking system and operate in clandestine trading platforms in order to launder illicit assets. Proceeds from the criminal enterprise were also laundered through connections in greengrocers, restaurants, gambling establishments, as well as security, transportation, construction and real estate industries respectively. Europol’s role Europol supported the investigators by sharing multiple cross-match reports and facilitating the exchange of communication between numerous Member States and third parties. Furthermore, Europol promoted and supported operational meetings and took part in coordination meetings held at Eurojust, which set up the Joint Investigation Team between the participating countries. The investigation was supported by the EU-funded Project ISF4@ON, an Italian-led initiative to tackle mafia-type organised crime groups active in Europe. Participating authorities: Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office, Antimafia and Counterterrorism Directorate Catanzaro (Procura della Repubblica, Direzione Distrettuale Antimafia e Antiterrorismo Presso il Tribunale di Catanzaro); Carabinieri Special Operations Group (Carabinieri Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale) Germany: Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), General Public Prosecutor‘s Office Stuttgart (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Stuttgart); State Criminal Police Office Stuttgart (Landeskriminalamt Stuttgart); General Public Prosecutor's Office Hamm (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Hamm); Police Headquarters Münster (Polizeipräsidium Münster); State Criminal Police Office Nordrhine-Westphalia (Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen) Austria: Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt)  

The dismantling of EncroChat in 2020 sent shockwaves across OCGs in Europe and beyond. It helped to prevent violent attacks, attempted murders, corruption and large-scale drug transports, as well as obtain large-scale information on organised crime.   OCGs worldwide illegally used the encryption tool EncroChat for criminal purposes. Since the dismantling, investigators managed to intercept, share and analyse over 115 million criminal conversations, by an estimated number of over 60 000 users.  User hotspots were prevalent in source and destination countries for the trade in illicit drugs, as well as in money laundering centres.   The information obtained by the French and Dutch authorities was shared with their counterparts in EU Member States and third countries, at their request. Based on accumulated figures from all authorities involved, this led to the following results, three years after the encryption was broken by law enforcement: 6 558 suspects arrested, including 197 High Value Targets   7 134 years of imprisonment of convicted criminals up to now EUR 739.7 million in cash seized EUR 154.1 million frozen in assets or bank accounts 30.5 million pills of chemical drugs seized 103.5 tonnes of cocaine seized 163.4 tonnes of cannabis seized 3.3 tonnes of heroin seized 971 vehicles seized 271 estates or homes seized 923 weapons seized, as well as 21 750 rounds of ammunition and 68 explosives 83 boats and 40 planes seized Investigations into the alleged criminal conduct of the company operating EncroChat were restarted by the French Gendarmerie Nationale in 2017, after discovering that the phones were regularly found during operations against OCGs. Subsequent investigations established that the company behind the tool was operating via servers in France. Eventually, it was possible to place a technical device to go beyond the encryption technique and obtain access to users’ correspondence. A case was opened at Eurojust in 2019 by the French authorities.  In the first instance, data was shared with the Netherlands, which led to the setting up of the JIT in April 2020. Since then, information on criminal activities was shared with national authorities within and outside the EU, at their request.  In view of ongoing investigations, Eurojust and Europol cannot disclose a full list of authorities involved. Eurojust not only helped to set up and support the JIT, but also coordinated the cooperation between all authorities involved. Hundreds of requests for mutual legal assistance to other authorities were handled via the Agency.   Europol has been supporting the case since 2018. A large, dedicated team of experts at Europol analysed over 115 million messages and data it received from the JIT partners. Europol cross-checked and analysed the data, combining it with information available in its information systems, and provided close to 700 actionable intelligence packages to countries worldwide.  To provide this extensive support, an Operational Taskforce, known as ‘OTF EMMA’ was set up at Europol’s headquarters. This OTF brought together investigators and experts from Europol, Member States and third countries under one roof to jointly work on the Encrochat data to investigate the world’s most dangerous criminals. Europol has since been supporting the spin-off investigations initiated across the world.  Background on EncroChat and encrypted communications EncroChat phones were presented as guaranteeing perfect anonymity, discretion and no traceability to users. It also had functions intended to ensure the automatic deletion of messages and a specific PIN code to delete all data on the device. This would allow users to quickly erase compromising messages, for example at the time of arrest by the police.  In addition, the device could be erased from a distance by the reseller/helpdesk.  EncroChat  sold cryptotelephones for around EUR 1 000 each, on an international scale. It also offered subscriptions with worldwide coverage, at a cost of 1 500 EUR for a six-month period, with 24/7 support. The illegal use of encrypted communications continues to receive major attention from  judicial  and law enforcement agencies across the EU. OCGs communicating via encryption were dealt another blow in March 2021, following the dismantling of the SkyECC tool. Both Eurojust and Europol remain at the disposal of national authorities in case further support is required regarding encrypted communications by criminals. Watch the press conference here.

The criminal network is allegedly responsible for the large-scale trafficking of cocaine and cannabis from South America to Europe and its further distribution across the European Union. They are also known for the use of violence, including episodes of torture and kidnapping for the purpose of extortion. The perpetrators were able to draw on significant financial resources allegedly obtained from previous drug trafficking activities. They had several logistic bases where the narcotic substances and the proceeds of the crime were stored and where the associates could meet. They also possessed an extensive fleet of vehicles equipped with sophisticated hidden compartments, cell phones equipped with encrypted texting applications and other utilities. According to the investigation, the criminal network carried out at least 36 imports totalling 1 tonne of cocaine and 1 tonne of hashish between March 2020 and June 2021. These substances would have generated more than EUR 1 billion on the distribution market. More than EUR 1 million in cash was also seized during the course of the investigation. The proceeds of the crime were shared among the members of the network according to their respective roles. In Germany, some suspects owned a luxurious restaurant, a bar and a real estate agency that were allegedly used to launder money from the drug trafficking activities.  The case was opened at Eurojust in September 2021 at the request of the German authorities. A JIT was set up between the German and Italian authorities with the support of Eurojust in July 2022. Two coordination meetings were hosted by the Agency to facilitate judicial cooperation and to prepare for the joint action day. A coordination centre was set up to enable rapid cooperation between the judicial authorities involved in the action day. Europol’s Serious Organised Crime Centre has supported the case since the end of 2020, since which time it has exchanged more than 250 secure messages with the authorities involved. Extensive analytical support allowed for the identification of the key targets and the mapping of their criminal activities around the globe. A number of operational meetings were organised by Europol, either at its headquarters in The Hague or abroad. In addition, two Europol officers were deployed on the ground in Germany and Italy during the action day to support the authorities with their investigative measures. A secure communication platform was also set up by Europol during the action day to allow the real-time exchange of tactical information among the different law enforcement authorities involved. The investigation, and the set-up of the joint action day itself, has been supported by the @ON Network funded by the European Union (Internal Security Funds Project ‘ISF4@ON’) and led by the Italian Antimafia Investigation Directorate (DIA). The following authorities took part in this investigation: Germany: PPO Frankfurt, PPO Gießen, Criminal Investigation Office Frankfurt (Department K 62) of the Police Headquarters Frankfurt am Main, Regional Criminal Investigation Office Friedberg (Narcotics Department / K 34) of  the Police Headquarters of Central Hesse and, supporting the execution of the measures on the Action Day, special forces of the Federal State (Bund) and of the states of Saarland and Hesse and task forces of the riot police units of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate and the municipal police of the City of Frankfurt am Main Italy: PPO Bologna; Polizia di Stato, Squadra Mobile from Forlí and Modena, with operational support from the Central Anti-Crime Directorate (DAC) The Netherlands: National PPO (Landelijk Parket) Team International Cooperation (LIRC - IRC-LE), Dutch National Police, Eenheid Amsterdam and Landelijke Eenheid

The investigation, initiated in 2021, focused on the activities of a criminal network involved mainly in the production and trafficking of drugs in the Western Balkans, the EU and South America. Important leads, which served the identification of criminal actors, were obtained from operational analysis of encrypted communications. Europol supported the national authorities in developing their investigative activities by supplying them with important insights obtained from the suspects’ communications through the encrypted ANOM and SkyECC applications, the latter taken down in 2021.  The information exchange between different national authorities uncovered a large-scale organisation, spread across two continents and with some members holding positions in the national administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 19 June, which saw the eighth action day organised within this three year-long operation, the national authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina arrested six individuals. These arrests bring the number of individuals arrested for their links to this organised crime group up to a total of 38. Total results of the operation: 38 suspects arrested, 8 of which holding positions in the national administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina   1 High Value Target arrested in Germany extradited to Bosnia and Herzegovina  Seizures include over 300kg cannabis and real estate and cash with a total value of over EUR 6 million Europol supported the operation since its very beginning with communications analysis that enabled national authorities to identify suspects and uncover their criminal activities. Europol facilitated the information exchange as well as coordinated and financed operational meetings. Parallel operational analysis by Europol, delivered in the form of intelligence packages, shed light on the ramifications and influence of the criminal network. Europol also supported the national authorities by deploying experts to the field to provide investigators with real-time analytical support and technical expertise. Stronger operational cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina As of June 2023, Europol is further strengthening its operational cooperation with Bosnia and  Herzegovina (BiH). This new development relates to the establishment of a single National Contact Point for all BiH law enforcement authorities with Europol, connecting them to the Europol Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA) system. The creation of this National Contact Point, who will coordinate the communication between relevant BiH law enforcement authorities and Europol, is accompanied by the deployment of a BiH Liaison Officer to the agency. The BiH Liaison Officer will join the large community of almost 300 Liaison Officers, representing more than 45 countries, who are already hosted at Europol’s headquarters.   

Europol is celebrating the hard work and dedication of the various law enforcement authorities making Europe safer, and we are seeking submissions from talented photographers that illustrate the many ways that police forces protect EU citizens on a daily basis. This year's edition of the Europol photo competition will have a new format! Instead of having themed categories, we have three distinct ways of selecting the winners. Europol will pick one winning photographer, while another will be chosen by the EU law enforcement community represented at our headquarters. The third winner will be determined by a public vote. As there is no specific category for this year's competition, we are looking for photographs that showcase the many ways that law enforcement officers actively work to make Europe safer. This entails providing a glimpse into the daily routine of a police officer, whether on patrol or involved in operational activities to combat organised crime. We also want entries that give insights into training exercises and manoeuvres, or highlight the vital role of community policing. Additionally, we welcome creative submissions that offer abstract and artistic interpretations of the theme "making Europe safer," where we anticipate seeing unexpected perspectives, innovative photography techniques, and imaginative compositions that push the boundaries of conventional photography. Law enforcement officers are invited to submit up to FIVE photos. Whether you are a passionate professional photographer, or an amateur with nothing but a phone camera, we want to see your photography skills in action! So get out there, capture the best moments of law enforcement in action, and show us why they deserve our respect and gratitude. Deadline for submissions: 15 August 2023 For full details on how to participate, please visit the competition page. Entries will be used in Europol publications, including calendars, social media and other communication products.  

Overview: Operation Pirates 1 is a global operation to thwart smugglers of counterfeit goods such as pharmaceutical products, garments (clothes and accessories), cigarettes, cosmetics and electronic devices, toys etc. focused on physical inspections on land and sea borders.  Seizures:  810 995 counterfeit products (clothes, footwear, bags, wallets, belts, sunglasses, accessories, perfumes, electric bikes, watches, jewellery, pharmaceutical products, e-liquid for cigarettes, etc.) 61 246 counterfeit electronic devices 7.8 million counterfeit cigarettes  250 kg of cannabis 59 firearms Europol’s contribution: Europol supported the joint action day by deploying a specialist to the operational centre set up at Frontex. For additional information, please reach out to Europol’s Press Office.  

Illegal gold foundry discovered The investigation into the operation was initiated in 2019 by the ROS Carabinieri in Florence and was carried out in close cooperation with Swiss and German law enforcement agencies. Initially, investigators focused on a Greek citizen, who was in contact with an Iranian entrepreneur involved in international gold smuggling and money laundering activities in Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey. Overall, the criminal network consisted of 10 Italian, Greek, Turkish and Iranian nationals operating in the gold industry. They used shell companies to launder illicitly acquired assets through complex money laundering schemes.  Members of the criminal network bought gold and other precious commodities on the black market, counterfeited documents relating to these items, and used couriers to send them to Türkiye as their final destination. In Zurich, investigators found a room converted into an illegal foundry where gold was melted to hide its illicit origin.  Close international police and judicial cooperation This investigation was conducted in close police and judicial cooperation in a joint investigation team coordinated by Eurojust. Europol supported the investigation by providing intelligence, conducting multiple cross-checks and preparing cross-match reports, hosting operational and coordination meetings, and facilitating the exchange of information via SIENA. Furthermore, the joint operation was supported by the EU-funded Project ISF4 @ON, an Italian-led initiative to tackle mafia-type organised crime groups operating in Europe. Participating authorities: •    Italy: ROS Carabinieri Florence (Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale Carabinieri Firenze); Public Prosecutor’s Office Milan (Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Milano) •    Germany: German State Criminal Police Office North Rhine-Westphalia (Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen) •    Switzerland: Federal Office of Police fedpol (Federal Criminal Investigation Police); Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland  

Missing VAT payments Investigation Huracán started with a report to the EPPO from a tax authority in Italy in January 2021. The authority had received an alert when companies registered in Italy and Hungary, following their acquisition of a high number of cars from Germany and subsequent sale to private persons and companies in other EU countries, had not paid VAT to the Italian state.  What began as a small report quickly turned into the discovery of a large-scale international VAT fraud scheme. The EPPO’s European Delegated Prosecutors, together with investigators from the EPPO’s Central Office, managed to discover the network of missing traders and the organised crime group behind the VAT fraud scheme within a couple of months. A multi-million euro fraud According to the evidence gathered, the organised crime group used a vast network to deploy a modus operandi as follows. A Germany-based buffer company, considered a legitimate company on paper, bought cars online from a German car dealer. The company paid the price including VAT, introduced a VAT claim and received back the VAT from the German state.  Afterwards, the company sold the cars to missing traders outside Germany, namely Italy and Hungary. The price of the car was then marked slightly above the net price indicated on the original/initial invoice from the online marketplace, but already more attractive, as the so-called “missing traders” did not have to pay VAT due to intra-community VAT rules.  The missing trader then sold the car at a very appealing price to a final customer or another company. The final customer paid the VAT, and instead of paying the VAT to the state, the missing trader – as the name implies – kept it as profit, and disappeared.  It is estimated that more than 10 000 cars were sold using this scheme and in total, around 60 people are suspected of participating in the organised group or supporting the main suspects. Between 2017 and June 2023, the criminals managed to generate a total fraudulent turnover of over EUR 225 million and created VAT losses of over EUR 38 million.  Behind the scenes According to the evidence, the suspects regularly issued false invoices to the respective private individuals or traders, which made it seem as though the private individuals or traders had correctly purchased the vehicles and paid VAT. Thanks to those invoices, individuals were subsequently able to register the vehicles purchased in another country. This scheme allowed unfair competition, as the cars were being sold for below the market price. In addition to the apparent VAT fraud and tax evasion, the investigation also provides grounds for suspicion of organised crime, money laundering and forgery of documents.  Europol’s role Europol provided full analytical support by crosschecking the information received and reporting the relevant findings to the EPPO. In addition, Europol facilitated the exchange of information with the other affected EU Member States and third countries. During the action day, Europol deployed a specialist with a mobile office in the coordination centre in Luxembourg, and three officers providing live forensics support and advanced capabilities for mobile device extraction on the spot. The agency also organised several operational meetings to discuss the support that was eventually provided during the action day.   Participating authorities:  Belgium: Federal Police (Federale Politie) Germany: Customs Investigation Office Essen (Zollkriminalamt Essen); Tax Investigation Office Münster (Finanzamt für Steuerstrafsachen und Steuerfahndung Münster); Specialised Prosecution Office for White Collar Crime, Düsseldorf (Schwerpunktstaatsanwaltschaft für Wirtschaftsstrafsachen bei der Staatsanwaltschaft Düsseldorf); Central Investigation Office of Nordrhine-Westphalia for Fighting VAT Fraud, Bonn Office (Zentralstelle des Landes Nordrhein Westfalens zur Bekämpfung des Umsatzsteuerbetruges - ZEUS NRW); Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt) Hungary: National Tax and Customs Administration, Directorate General of Criminal Affairs, Central Bureau for Criminal Investigations (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal, Bűnügyi Főigazgatóság, Központi Nyomozó Főosztály); Chief Prosecution Office of the Capital (Fővárosi Főügyészség) Italy: Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) Netherlands: Fiscal Information and Investigation Service Eindhoven (Fiscale inlichtingen- en opsporingsdienst Eindhoven) Portugal: National Republican Guard – Fiscal Action Unit (Guarda Nacional Republicana - Unidade de Ação Fiscal)National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) Spain: Civil Guard (Guardia Civil)  

Results: Total inspections carried out: more than 6 000Reported to Judicial Authorities: 205 individualsReported to Administrative/Health Authorities: 298 individualsPackages of toys seized: More than 19 millionValue of the seized goods: EUR 79 millionEuropol’s contribution: Europol’s Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition coordinated the operational activity and liaised with e-commerce platforms. For additional information, please reach out to Europol’s Press Office. 

The action day led to: 15 locations searched (4 in Germany and 11 in Romania)  4 individuals arrested (1 in Germany and 3 in Romania) Seizures including 3 vehicles, mobile phones and electronics, documents and cash in various currencies Up to EUR 10 000 to reach Germany from Türkiye Authorities initiated the investigation after a number of interceptions of irregular migrants at parts of the German border with Austria, Czechia and Poland. The criminal network charged between EUR 4 000 and EUR 10 000 per person smuggled from Türkiye to Germany via the Balkan route. The smuggling between Romania and Germany cost between EUR 4 000 and EUR 5 000. German and Romanian authorities investigated members of the criminal network since the end of 2022, linking them to the detection of more than 870 migrants during 93 smuggling incidents. In Romania, the local cell of the criminal network gathered the migrants in Timisoara before further transporting them towards Germany. This Romanian cell was involved in the renting and managing of hiding locations in the areas of Arad and Timisoara. There, they gathered the migrants in overcrowded accommodation to merge different groups before further transferring them to Germany. The suspects have put this set up in place in order to optimise the logistics and maximise the criminal profits.  The members of the criminal group used forerunner cars driving ahead of the lorries with migrants, while communicating via mobile applications, to detect and avoid possible police checks. During this last leg of the smuggling route towards Germany, the migrants were placed in extremely dangerous conditions, facing a lack of ventilation and other threats to their safety. In some cases, the migrants would be forced to hide amongst cargo under such conditions for several consecutive days.  Europol facilitated the exchange of information between participating authorities, and provided operational coordination and analytical support. On the action day, Europol deployed an analyst to Romania to enable the real-time exchange of information and cross-check operational information against Europol’s databases to provide leads to investigators in the field.  At the end of 2022, Eurojust set up a Joint Investigation Team between Germany, Romania and Serbia. Participating authorities Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Landshut, German Federal Police Romania: Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, Romanian Police Serbia: Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime of the Republic of Serbia; Service for Combating Organised Crime, Criminal Police Directorate

Over the course of the operation, national authorities checked commercial and industrial areas, flea markets, tourist areas, warehouses, shops, and other similar places where counterfeit goods can be sold. The involved authorities carried out also operational activities in ports, pop-up shops and small e-commerce parcel distribution companies. Operation Fake Star in a nutshell 1 956 607 counterfeit clothes, shoes and garments seized; Roughly EUR 87 million estimated total value of counterfeit goods seized; 258 brands found to be infringed; 3 921 inspections carried out; 646 judicial cases opened; 1 311 administrative cases opened; 378 individuals arrested. Sports and luxury goods at the top of the seized counterfeits list The results of the operation report on very important seizures of sports and luxury goods: millions of such counterfeits, intended for sale on the European market, were seized during the operational activities. The investigations confirmed expectations that criminals are using social media networks to advertise counterfeit products. Different merchants have been seen posting pictures of available counterfeit goods, mostly clothing and footwear, on their business social media pages and profiles.  However, this is not a new trend – the trade in counterfeit goods online has significantly increased in the past few years. The market share of e-commerce platforms has risen in the recent years, which also applies for advertisements of counterfeit goods on the social media platforms. On the other hand, the operational results show that conventional offline marketplaces remain an important reality and deserve the attention of law enforcement. The seized counterfeit goods originated mainly from outside of Europe, with China, Hong Kong, Türkiye and Vietnam being predominant source locations. As for the transport, the counterfeits entered the EU by land or by sea. In addition to the trafficking of counterfeits, authorities detected other criminal activities carried out by the identified criminal networks. Strong cooperation to boost the fight against counterfeits Europol facilitated the exchange of information, and provided operational coordination and analytical support. During several action days, Europol deployed analysts to enable the real-time exchange of information and cross-check operational information against Europol’s databases to provide leads to investigators in the field.  Europol’s IPC3 (Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition) which supported the investigation is a project to combat intellectual property crime co-funded by the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office). In February 2020, the EUIPO also hosted the kick-off meeting at its headquarters in Alicante, Spain. Participating countries: EU Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Third-party countries: Serbia, Ukraine and United Kingdom.  

The operation is a follow-up to a previous investigation conducted by the Italian authorities between 2013 and 2018 against the same criminal network. The suspects allegedly continued to use the existing and well-established network to transport mainly cocaine from South America to Germany and Italy via several European ports. To this end, the organised crime group (OCG) set up businesses in Germany to facilitate the drug smuggling. To cover its drug transports, the OCG used international companies trading in cars and food. During an action day on 5 June, 31 suspects were arrested, 18 in Italy, 8 in Belgium and 5 in Germany. A total of 53 searches were carried out. Assets worth over EUR 3.8 million were seized, including cash, drugs, high-value vehicles and property.  The case was opened by Eurojust in August 2019 at the request of the Italian authorities. A joint investigation team (JIT) was set up between the Italian and German authorities with the support of Eurojust in February 2020. In March 2021, the JIT was extended to Belgium. The Agency hosted seven coordination meetings and facilitated the transmission and execution of many European Investigation Orders and requests for mutual legal assistance. A coordination centre was set up to enable rapid cooperation between the judicial authorities involved in the action day. Europol has been providing continuous intelligence development and analysis to support the national investigators. During the operation, Europol deployed two of its officers in Belgium and Italy to facilitate the real-time coordination among all the partners involved, ensuring swift tactical decisions to adjust the strategy as required. This case falls under the EMPACT Operational Action 2.3 on ‘Ndrangheta and the Sicilian mafia, the first EMPACT action led by the National Antimafia Directorate (Direzione Nazionale Antimafia) in which Europol and Eurojust are co-leaders. The investigation and the Action Day itself have been supported by the @ON Network funded by the EU (Project ISF4@ON) led by the Italian Antimafia Investigation Directorate. The following authorities took part in this investigation: Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office Catanzaro; Guardia di Finanza Belgium: Federal PPO; Investigating judge at the court of first instance in Liège; Federal Judicial Police Liège Germany: Police Frankfurt am Main

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 260 kilos of marijuana, amphetamine and cocaine with a total street value of EUR 2 925 400. Over the past year, a number of actions have been carried out against the members of this criminal organisation, resulting in 42 arrests, including the ringleaders. On 23 April 2023, a series of coordinated raids were carried out across both countries, resulting in 14 arrests in Poland and 6 arrested in Spain. On this occasion, cash worth over half a million euros was seized in various currencies. The first strike against this criminal organisation took place a year prior. In April 2022, the Polish Police Central Bureau of Investigation arrested 7 suspects smuggling drugs into Poland. Among the cargo of potatoes they were hauling from Spain, the investigators found 158 bags of marijuana. An additional 51 bags of marijuana were seized at the homes of the suspects arrested.  The evidence collected over the course of the investigation revealed how this criminal organisation is linked to the smuggling of 3 tonnes of marijuana, worth an estimated EUR 30 million. The criminals would smuggle the drugs in refrigerated lorries from Spain to Poland, via the Netherlands and Germany. The investigation was also able to uncover how the gang members had links to hooligans of various sports clubs.  Europol’s support was instrumental in the success of this case. In the framework of its operational activities, Europol was able to develop reliable intelligence concerning the activities of this drug trafficking organisation. Europol has been providing continuous intelligence development and analysis to support the field investigators. During the action, Europol facilitated the real-time coordination among all the partners involved, ensuring swift tactical decisions to adjust the strategy as required. The following authorities took part in the investigation:  Poland: Police Central Bureau of Investigation (Centralne Biuro Śledcze Policji) Spain:  Civil Guard (Guardia Civil – ECO Málaga ) and National Police (Policia Nacional -  UDYCO Central-Crimen Organizado)   

The joint activities focused on detecting and disrupting organised crime groups involved in trafficking in human beings, in particular child trafficking, sexual exploitation, forced criminality and forced begging. The main objectives of Operation Global Chain were to identify, protect and refer victims and potential victims of human trafficking for assistance. Specific actions targeted the disruption of criminal networks potentially exploiting victims originating from South America, Asia, Africa, the Western Balkans and Ukraine. The joint and coordinated actions of different authorities was therefore crucial for the development of the operational activities.  212 arrests and 138 suspected traffickers identified in a joint effort against human trafficking Sustained enforcement actions on the ground led to 212 arrests and the identification of 1 426 potential victims, while 244 new investigations were initiated. Authorities were present at border crossings and main transport hubs to identify potential victims and suspects, with countries adapting their operational activities to the types of trafficking prevalent in their regions. In total, 8 644 flights were monitored, while 3 984 border checkpoints were actively monitored. Europol, Frontex and INTERPOL coordinated the operation in a unique effort to join forces against human traffickers active across the globe.  During these joint operational actions, approximately 130 000 officers worldwide checked: 1.6 million people 25 400 locations 153 300 vehicles 72 850 documents The operational activities were planned during a meeting hosted by Frontex and coordinated from the coordination centre hosted by INTERPOL. Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided 24/7 operational analytical support during the week of action. Operational highlights Investigators in Sweden identified 5 underage boys in a well-known begging area, accompanied by a 19-year-old male. In their statements, the boys indicated that the adult was acting as their boss, overseeing their begging activities.  In Serbia, 6 suspects were arrested for sexually exploiting 10 female, and 1 suspect for exploiting 1 female in the form of forced begging and forced criminality.  Romanian authorities conducted 19 house searches and arrested 4 people suspected of labour exploitation of at least 8 victims. In North Macedonia, 11 suspects were arrested for the sexual exploitation of minors and trafficking in human beings. In Colombia, 27 victims of sexual exploitation were identified and 7 suspects were arrested.  Children: the most vulnerable victims of an underreported crime  Human traffickers target the most vulnerable groups, including children. Minors are trafficked for sexual and labour exploitation. Criminals force children to beg or commit a variety of crimes, such as smuggling illegal goods and petty crime. Child trafficking remains largely underreported. Within the EU, children are mostly trafficked by their relatives. These criminal organisations, connected through large clan networks, operate in several countries and move the children across borders. Minors from non-EU countries can become victims of traffickers collaborating with the adults who accompany the children while pretending to be their relatives or legal guardians.  EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Non-EU countries: Albania, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Colombia, Iceland, Kosovo**, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Philippines, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.  ** This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. 

With the support of Europol and Eurojust, money-laundering specialists from the Italian Guardia di Finanza uncovered a network of electronics companies located around the globe and seized EUR 18.5 million in assets. The intricate structure used companies in countries such as China, Türkiye, and the United States of America, amongst others. This complex web of companies allowed organised crime to disguise the nature, source, location, ownership, control, origin and/or destination of illegally acquired funds and to avoid their detection.  Trade-based money laundering In order to launder drug profits generated in Europe, the arrested criminals offered a service of trade-based money laundering known as the “Black Market Pesos Exchange”. This process reduces the risk of losing money through seizures and allows for faster access to the funds. The drug producers would provide drugs to the Italian buyers as a form of credit. The profits generated from the sale of the drugs in Europe were then picked up by brokers, introduced into companies, and used for ordering goods such as mobile phones from China, to state just one example. These goods were then shipped to the United States and further transported to Colombia, where they were offered on the market. Upon being sold, the cartels such as the Grupo Armado Organizado received the cash and thus their veiled payment for the drugs provided to European sellers. Coordinated international police effort Based on international law enforcement cooperation between the Italian Guardia di Finanza and the Spanish Policía Nacional, supported by Europol and Eurojust, the criminal network’s modus operandi could be unravelled. In Italy alone, EUR 18.5 million could be traced back as money laundered for organised crime groups.  On the action day, Europol deployed a money-laundering specialist with a mobile office at the coordination centre hosted by Eurojust. Europol had been supporting the case since May 2020, providing intelligence, expertise and operational analysis, as well as financial support for operational meetings. Authorities involved: Italy: Guardia di Finanza, Nucleo Polizia Economico-Finanziaria di Trento (Financial Police, Economic-Financial Police Unit Trento) Spain: Policía Nacional, UDEF and UDYCO Central (National Police)

On 25 May, over 300 officers, including special intervention and K9 teams,  carried out a series of simultaneous raids in both countries against the members of this family-structured criminal group, composed mainly of Albanian nationals/dual Albanian nationals.  The actions were coordinated from a command centre located in Brussels, Belgium, with Europol officers deployed in the field.  Results of the action day  26 property searches (21 in Belgium, 5 in Germany) 17 arrests (15 in Belgium, 2 in Germany)   Seizures include:  A indoor cannabis plantation  15 kilos of cannabis  3 kilos of synthetic drugs and 3 kilos of cocaine 13 vehicles, most of the equipped with professional hidden compartments  3 firearms Over € 700 000 Euro in cash    The criminal organisation under target specialised in the trafficking of heroin and cocaine.  Investigators uncovered that the drugs were being smuggled in containers into Belgium, before being moved to Germany in vehicles equipped with sophisticated hidden compartments. The drugs were then distributed throughout Europe. Several hundreds of thousands of euros in cash were seized over the course of the investigation.   Europol supported this investigation by providing tailored expertise and extensive analysis support and facilitating the exchange of information through its secure channels. A number of operational meetings were organised by Europol all over Europe with a view to filling the investigative gaps at the international level and coordinating the simultaneous actions aimed at dismantling the entire structure of this criminal group. The investigation and the Action Day itself have been supported by the @ON Network funded by the EU (Project ISF4@ON) led by the Italian Antimafia Investigation Directorate (DIA). The following authorities took part in the investigation: •    Germany: German Police in Bielefeld and Paderborn •    Belgium: Federal Judicial Police in Brussels and the Brussels Investigating Judge and Prosecutor’s Office  

Between 8 and 19 May, over 30 victim identification specialists from across the world joined forces at Europol’s headquarters and online to identify victims and offenders depicted in child sexual abuse material.  These specialists combed through over 460 sets of images and video files depicting unknown victims of child sexual abuse, some as young as a few days old. They were supported by Europol specialists and intelligence analysts in the field of combating the sexual exploitation of children.  These efforts have led to six children being identified and rescued from abuse, and one offender arrested. In addition, the likely country of production of child sexual abuse material has been narrowed down in 236 instances, with investigations now ongoing at the national level to identify further victims.  The following countries and  took part in this edition of the VIDTF: Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA (HSI). INTERPOL also supported this Taskforce.  Since 2014, Europol has been gathering victim identification specialists from across the world on a regular basis in order to focus on unsolved cases of child sexual abuse.  The VIDTF is the largest recurring operation of its kind in the world, and has inspired a number of similar initiatives at the national and regional levels, such as in Italy and Australia.  Europol’s support does not stop there. Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) has a dedicated team of specialists which supports countries in countering child sexual abuse and exploitation online. In 2022, this team, known as Analysis Project Twins, supported 93 investigations against child sexual abuse.  Most recently, Europol’s support was instrumental in the arrest of a fifty-year old child abuser by the Italian Postal and Communication Police (Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni). Europol provided an intelligence package to the Italian authorities which allowed for the identification of this abuser, who had been active on pedophile platforms on the dark web for a decade.  Would you like to play a part in helping solve cases of child sexual abuse? Head to https://www.europol.europa.eu/stopchildabuse to see if you recognize any of the details in the images released publically. Europol periodically releases new series of pictures in the framework of its Stop Child Abuse – Trace An Object campaign, appealing to the general public for clues which might lead down the line to a child being rescued from harm.  No clue is too small.    

The action day led to: 29 locations searched in Bucharest, Arges district, Buzau, Constanta and Brasov 28 individuals arrested  Diverse seizures The Romanian Border Police initiated the investigation into this criminal network in 2022, following the arrests of several van drivers at the border with Bulgaria. The investigation uncovered a criminal network that was composed of several suspects, clustered in two groups depending on their tasks. One of the groups, composed mainly of Romanian nationals, was responsible for the transportation, with the other in charge of recruitment of migrants who could to be smuggled.  Smuggled in trucks and vans across the Balkan route The criminal organisation smuggled irregular migrants from Türkiye to Germany via Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Czechia. The suspects smuggled the migrants via land across specific Border Crossing Points (BCPs) at the Bulgarian-Romanian border such as Ostrov BCP, Giurgiu BCP and Bechet BCP. They then held them in locations near the Romanian city of Timisoara for a day or two, before further transporting them to Germany. The suspects smuggled the irregular migrants mostly in vans and trucks. This modus operandi, largely used by criminal networks active across the so-called Balkan route, has proven highly dangerous for the life and health of migrants. In several recent incidents, adults and children were found dead found death due to the lack of space and oxygen in the compartments used to conceal them during transportation.  Europol facilitated the exchange of information, and provided operational coordination and analytical support. On the action day, Europol deployed an analyst to Romania to enable the real-time exchange of information and cross-check operational information against Europol’s databases to provide leads to investigators in the field. Two Europol guest officers already deployed in the area also supported the Romanian authorities.   

Investigators started looking into this case in late 2022, when 500 kilograms of cocaine were found in a lorry leaving a container terminal. A group of lorry drivers, all working for the same freight transport company, had been using their access to a specific port terminal to remove cocaine from shipping containers. The arrests made that day marked the starting point for further investigations, eventually leading to the dismantling of the entire criminal network, including its leader, the persons responsible for drug distribution and logistics, and the money launderers. The results of the operation include: 23 houses searched in Spain 30 suspects arrested total value of assets seized estimated at EUR 40 million EUR 172 000 in cash seized 10 vehicles, jewellery and luxury watches seized  one assault submachine gun and two pistols, one conducted energy device, and personal defence equipment seized a large number of cutting tools for opening sea containers and port worker uniforms (used to blend in at container terminals) seized 1 000 kilograms of cocaine, 250 grams of hashish and a bag of marijuana seized mobiles phones and other IT devices seized Facilitators inside the port Members of the criminal network had set up a network of services to facilitate the illegal importation of drugs, which relied partly on the help of port workers. The approach used by the criminals was to enter the container terminal of the Port of Algeciras in lorries under the guise of carrying out legal activities. Once inside the terminal area, one of the criminals would open the containers with hidden drug shipments. The illegal merchandise was then loaded onto a lorry and moved out of the port. The criminals relied on facilitators inside the port, who would also alert them of possible law enforcement activity, to remove the merchandise. The organisation's money laundering typologies involved companies registered in the name of front men, as well bank accounts used to deposit criminal funds and conduct wire transfers. At the same time, these companies and front men provided the complex infrastructure needed for to distribute the cocaine.  Europol’s role Europol provided intelligence and analytical and operational support from the start of the case. On the action day, a money-laundering specialist was deployed on location to cross-check the operational information gathered against Europol’s databases in real time and to provide leads to the investigators in the field.  

On 24 May, a series of raids were carried out simultaneously across Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium and Germany against the members of this gang. These actions were coordinated from a command post in Zagreb, Croatia, with the support of Europol officers deployed on-the-ground. A total of 37 suspects were arrested over the course of the investigation, including the gang’s ringleader – a national from Bosnia & Herzegovina considered as a high-value target by Europol and currently serving a 4 year-long prison sentence in Italy. Out of these 37 suspects, 15 were arrested as a result of the action day this week. The investigators were able to uncover how this individual continued to orchestrate his gang’s criminal activities from his prison cell. From there, he is believed to have regularly given orders and instructions to his subordinates on matters related to the trafficking of drugs and firearms. The premises searched during the action day include a prison cell in Belgium, a garage in the Netherlands which was used to stash cocaine, and several premises in Croatia, Germany, Slovenia and Bosnia & Herzegovina where drugs, firearms and explosives were being held.Results of the criminal investigation (arrests and seizures)37 arrestsEUR 148 000 in cash18 firearms, including 2 machines guns, and 2 512 pieces of ammunition500 grams of TNT with remote detonatorsOver 15 kilos of cocaine, 11 kilos of heroin, 3 kilos of amphetamine, 7 kilos of marijuana and 10 kilos of hashishLaw enforcement uniforms Fake ID documentsParticipating authorities Austria: Criminal Intelligence Service Austria (Bundeskriminalamt)Belgium: Federal Judicial Police Antwerp Bosnia & Herzegovina: Federal Police - Department for Combatting Drugs Abuse SarajevoCroatia: General Police Directorate (Drug Enforcement Department) and Zagrebačka County Police Administration and State Attorney - Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised CrimeGermany: ZKA - Customs Investigation Office MunichThe Netherlands: Police Rotterdam Slovenia: Criminal Police Directorate (Illicit Drugs Section within Organised Crime Division) and Police Directorate LjubljanaUnited States: US DEA Office ZagrebEuropol: Drugs UnitOperational Taskforce ‘Balkan Cartel’This international sweep follows a complex investigation led by the Croatian General Police Directorate in the framework of the Operational Taskforce ‘Balkan Cartel’. The intelligence development carried out by Europol after the recent takedown of three encrypted communication tools used by criminals – Encrochat, Sky ECC and ANOM –  revealed the prevalence of Balkan criminals in the global criminal landscape. To respond to this threat Europol has set up the Operational Task Force Balkan Cartel, which brings together investigators from across Europe and the world to effectively target the threat emanating from this region.Besides the takedown of this network, the work carried out in the framework of this Operational Task Force recently led to the dismantling in Serbia of the biggest drug trafficking organisation in the Balkan region.Further results are to be expected as the work of the Operational Task Force continues.  

On 23 May, a series of raids were carried out across the Netherlands as part of an illegal streaming crackdown. The officers from the FIOD searched properties in various locations in The Netherlands. Several individuals were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the illegal streaming of premium content.  Packages bought by subscribers gave them access to over 10 000 live TV channels, alongside library of 15 000 films and TV shows.  Europol’s support  Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre supported this investigation with analytical support, helping identify the key targets and their criminal activity across Europe.  A number of operational meetings were organised by Europol to bring together the investigators in the different European countries affected by this criminal network.  Europol experts were also deployed in various locations in the Netherlands during the action day to support the FIOD in its enforcement activities.   

Arrests: 7 people arrested; 2 people searched for with international arrest warrants Searches: 30 houses raided; 10 companies searchedSeizures include:•    5 high-end vehicles •    Large sums of cryptocurrency in various forms•    247 crypto mining machines with a total value of over EUR 1 million•    Cash in various currencies with a total value of approximately EUR 100 000•    The equivalent of about EUR 150 000 in bank accounts•    Luxury goods including jewellery and watches •    4 pistols with 300 pieces of ammunition.Modus operandi: Cocaine is sent from South America to Europe by ships and private planes, usually hidden in coal or cans of tuna. The action day also targeted a political figure suspected of corruption, who was holding a position at the top of one of the municipalities in Canton Sarajevo.Europol’s contribution: An intelligence packaged produced by Europol based on information from the SKY ECC operation allowed the identification of the structure, activities and international connections of the criminal network. This intelligence report triggered the current investigation. Europol further supported the national authorities with identification of High Value Targets, facilitation of information exchange, coordination of operational activities and operational analysis. For additional information, please reach out to Europol’s Press Office.

Arrests: 6 suspects (5 French, 1 Moroccan) on the action day in France; 25 French nationals arrested in Austria between August and September 2022  Modus operandi: The suspects drove all the way from France to the Serbia-Hungary border, from where they smuggled at least 255 migrants to Austria using vehicles with French license plates. Forerunners were used to detect and avoid police checks and checkpoints. After arriving in Austria, the illegal migrants were further transported by other drivers.  Europol’s contribution: Europol supported the operation by providing analysis products as well as coordinating the operational meetings between the participants. Europol also contributed with forensic support and deployment of a mobile office on the spot during the action day. For additional information, please reach out to Europol’s Press Office.

Whilst in Ukraine, Executive Director De Bolle met with Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and Chief of National Police of Ukraine Ivan Vyhivskyi to affirm Europol’s commitment to Ukraine in person. The members of the EU delegation also visited conflict sites to observe investigations and evidence gathering first-hand, and met with counterparts in Ukraine’s Border Guard, Immigration Service, National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the State Bureau of Investigations.   Of particular interest to the Executive Director was progress on war crimes investigations. Europol’s specialised team covering this area, Analysis Project Core International Crimes, has been supporting Ukrainian authorities by providing analysis and helping coordinate intelligence. This team is enhancing its cooperation with Ukrainian authorities, as well as key partners such as Eurojust and the International Criminal Court (ICC).    The Executive Director also praised the excellent cooperation between Europol and Ukrainian authorities in the area of arms trafficking, with all sides determined to prevent illicit arms flows into Europe. Similarly, the Executive Director was able to pledge ongoing support to fight the trafficking of human beings, with dedicated analysts monitoring for at-risk individuals and active criminal networks in the area.   The Executive Director used the visit as an opportunity to exchange views with Ukrainian counterparts on changes in the organised crime landscape in the areas surrounding Ukraine. She also received Ukraine’s proposals regarding enhancing Europol’s support to criminal investigations stemming from the war. One such proposal is the deployment of a second Ukrainian Liaison Officer to Europol, specialised in cybercrime, allowing for a greater deal of collaboration and joint investigation. Europol has also provided support through training and capacity-building for Ukrainian law enforcement, covering areas such as explosive ordnances and anti-corruption measures.   Speaking upon returning to Europol HQ in the Netherlands, Executive Director De Bolle remarked:   This visit has been deeply encouraging, both in terms of our support to Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression and our relationships with Ukrainian partners in the long term. The professionalism and dedication of men and women in Ukrainian law enforcement, against such overwhelming odds, is an example to us all. I am confident in Europol’s operational readiness to support our Ukrainian colleagues regarding war crimes perpetrated during this tragic war. We are fully engaged to support Ukraine law enforcement agencies on a long-term basis.  Executive Director De Bolle’s visit comes soon after her participation as a panellist at the Bucha: Hallmarks of Genocide event in late March, alongside Prosecutor General of Ukraine, President of Eurojust and Prosecutor of the ICC, which commemorated one year since the liberation of the Ukrainian town and helped rally international support for the investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Bucha. Europol has also recently concluded a working arrangement with ICC that enhances the Agencies’ response to core international crimes.    More information on Europol’s work solidarity with the Ukrainian authorities and people can be found in the dedicated section of Europol’s public website.  

On 11 May, coordinated raids were carried out in Serbia and the Netherlands, targeting both the cartel’s leadership and distribution infrastructure. Seven other members of this criminal organisation were already arrested in Belgium in 2021. Two individuals were previously arrested for other offences in Serbia and Peru. Another suspect was arrested in the Netherlands on 8 May 2023.A total of 23 individuals have been arrested, including the 3 leaders of this criminal organisation, considered as High Value Targets by Europol.Results of the action day in brief13 arrests in Serbia including 3 High Value Targets35 house searchesSeizures include: 15 high-end cars and luxury jeweller and watches for an estimated amount of about EUR 2 million and almost EUR 3 million in cashWeapons and explosives including 2 sniper rifles, 3 automatic rifles, guns, silencers, 24 detonator capsules and 5 devices for remote initiation of detonators, 13 packages of plastic explosives, several hundred pieces of ammunition.Sky ECC intelligence developmentThis cross-border sting is the result of intelligence development in the framework of Europol’s Operational Taskforce looking into the usage of the encrypted communication platform Sky ECC, taken down by in March 2021. In cooperation with France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and with the support of Europol’s Drugs Unit, Serbia was able to identify the key targets on its territory, and map out their criminal activities across the world. This criminal organisation, is believed to be behind multi-tonne cocaine shipments that made their way to Europe directly from Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador, or by transiting via logistical infrastructures in West Africa.This gang was known in the criminal underworld for its violence and involvement in high-end robberies. One of the targets arrested in Serbia was a former leader of the infamous Pink Panther criminal group. Thanks to the analysis carried out on Sky ECC data, at least seven tonnes of cocaine seized in European ports in 2020 were traced back to this cartel, including: 700 kilos of cocaine seized in Rotterdam, the Netherlands1.2 tonnes of cocaine seized in Hasselt, Belgium5 tonnes of cocaine seized in Aruba, the Dutch AntillesThe criminal kingpins, arrested in Belgrade as part of this operation, were the biggest cocaine traffickers in the Western Balkans identified as part of the ongoing analysis work carried out on Sky ECC data. Operational Taskforce ‘Balkan Cartel’ The recent takedown of three encrypted communication tools used by criminals – Encrochat, Sky ECC and Anom –  revealed the prevalence of Balkan criminals in the global cocaine trade and related organised crime activities. To respond to this threat, Europol created the Operational Taskforce ‘Balkan Cartel’ and brought together countries across Europe and the world to effectively target this threat emanating from this region. This action day is a result of this Operational Taskforce which is ongoing. Europol’s Deputy Executive Director Jean-Philippe Lecouffe commented:With over 50 countries with a permanent representation at Europol – including all the Balkan countries, Europol is the place where such a cooperation can take place. It is by constant sharing of intelligence and a proper coordination that we can disrupt criminal networks, dismantle their operations and make our communities safer.In addition, Europol has been provided continuous intelligence development and analysis to support the field investigators. Two Europol staff members were deployed to Belgrade to support the Serbian authorities with their investigative measures during this action day. Eurojust facilitated the judicial cooperation between the countries involved in this investigation.The following authorities took part in this action:Serbia: Criminal Police – Drugs Combating Service (Канцеларија за борбу против дрога)The Netherlands: National Police (Politie)Belgium: Federal Judicial Police Limburg (Federale Politie / Police Fédérale)