The report highlights relevant trends in crime areas such cyber-attacks, child sexual exploitation and online and payment fraud schemes. It also provides an outlook of what can be expected in the near future, especially regarding new…
On 12 July, a pensioner was found murdered in his home in Herrsching, Upper Bavaria, Germany. The case sent shockwaves through the country, and an investigation was immediately launched by the Bavarian police to locate and arrest the…
Europol has supported this investigation since August 2023. On 20 December 2023, authorities intercepted a sailboat in international waters off the coast of Martinique with 1 500 kilos of cocaine on board. Eight individuals, including the…
During Pandora VIII, several thousand checks were carried out at countless airports, ports and border crossing points, as well as in auction houses, museums and private residences. Law enforcement also patrolled the web and conducted over…
This week, Montenegrin authorities have arrested nine High Value Targets holding key positions in Western Balkan drug trafficking organisations. In total, 19 individuals were targeted in this action. Four received charges while in prison,…
Between 2 and 3 July, a dozen searches of homes, company headquarters, commercial warehouses and restaurants were carried out. The searches involved some hundred Spanish police officers who were supported on the ground by French Judicial…
This coordinated operation, which was led by authorities in Switzerland and the United Kingdom, took place on 27 June 2024. The operation involved law enforcement agencies from 18 countries, working in tandem with Europol’s European Union…
The paper delves into the problems that Home Routing creates for law enforcement agencies in carrying out their duties, as well as presents possible avenues for safeguarding and maintaining law enforcement’s ability to protect citizens and…
Abuse by cybercriminals Cobalt Strike is a popular commercial tool provided by the cybersecurity software company Fortra. It is designed to help legitimate IT security experts perform attack simulations that identify weaknesses in security…
Increase of child sexual abuse material onlineThe production and distribution of child sexual abuse material has become increasingly reliant on the Internet, contributing to the proliferation of this crime. Over the past three years,…
In the early hours of 2 July, law enforcement authorities in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium and Ukraine raided 13 properties. As a result, seven suspects were arrested in Italy, three in Spain, one in Belgium, one in Germany and one in…
Some of the at least 84 confirmed victims lost their life savings when the criminals coerced them into handing over their money at their doorsteps. Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Portuguese…
Between 24 and 28 June 2024, Europol hosted an operational sprint targeting buyers of live distant child abuse material. The sprint brought together representatives from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden,…
Europol supported two major operations against the trafficking of illegal pesticides in the EU. The first investigation targeted a company importing counterfeit pesticides from China, replicating the products of a well-known multinational…
Migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks are highly adaptive and exploit geopolitical events, including economic and social crises to maximise their illegal profits. These networks swiftly identify criminal opportunities offered by…
Between 2 and 3 July, a dozen searches of homes, company headquarters, commercial warehouses and restaurants were carried out. The searches involved some hundred Spanish police officers who were supported on the ground by French Judicial…
This coordinated operation, which was led by authorities in Switzerland and the United Kingdom, took place on 27 June 2024. The operation involved law enforcement agencies from 18 countries, working in tandem with Europol’s European Union…
The paper delves into the problems that Home Routing creates for law enforcement agencies in carrying out their duties, as well as presents possible avenues for safeguarding and maintaining law enforcement’s ability to protect citizens and…
Abuse by cybercriminals Cobalt Strike is a popular commercial tool provided by the cybersecurity software company Fortra. It is designed to help legitimate IT security experts perform attack simulations that identify weaknesses in security…
Increase of child sexual abuse material onlineThe production and distribution of child sexual abuse material has become increasingly reliant on the Internet, contributing to the proliferation of this crime. Over the past three years,…
In the early hours of 2 July, law enforcement authorities in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium and Ukraine raided 13 properties. As a result, seven suspects were arrested in Italy, three in Spain, one in Belgium, one in Germany and one in…
Some of the at least 84 confirmed victims lost their life savings when the criminals coerced them into handing over their money at their doorsteps. Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Portuguese…
Between 24 and 28 June 2024, Europol hosted an operational sprint targeting buyers of live distant child abuse material. The sprint brought together representatives from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden,…
Of the many key milestones along the road, 2010 marks a particularly important date as Europol officially became a full EU Agency within the EU’s competence. Following the terrorist attack in Paris in November 2015, Europol’s Director Rob…
The large-scale law enforcement operation led to the arrest of 42 suspects - including the kingpin of the gang, who was in Spain under a false identity. In addition, 28 searches were conducted at several locations in Granada, Málaga and…
Building on the operation’s successful previous iterations, the proven multidisciplinary approach involved Europol, Frontex and INTERPOL along with police forces and border guards from several continents. This year, one aim was to identify…
The action day on 24 May 2024 in Almería led to:5 arrests including the suspected leader (1 Spanish, 2 Russian and 2 Ukrainian nationals)14 victims identified5 locations searchedSeizures including two luxury vehicles, in cash, electronic…
The investigation, initiated in April 2023, focused on a criminal network organising multi-tonne shipments to Europe of cocaine sourced in Ecuador and shipped from Colombia, Ecuador, Suriname, Guyana and Paraguay. Investigative leads link…
The servers supported multiple media outlets linked to Islamic State. They were used to disseminate worldwide propaganda and messages capable of inciting terrorism in at least thirty languages. Eurojust and Europol coordinated and…
Ten countries joined forces with Europol to disrupt the online propaganda activities of religious and politically motivated terrorist organisations across the ideological spectrum.This joint effort, known as Operation HOPPER II, targeted…