A new digital platform, Help4U, developed by Europol and CENTRIC, has been launched to support children and teenagers facing sexual abuse or online harm. Designed to be simple, private, and accessible, Help4U supports young people with finding trusted advice, understanding their rights, and connecting with people who can help. The platform offers clear, practical guidance for […]
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54 individuals arrested in action against labour exploitation
Over the last weeks, law enforcement, border guards and labour and tax authorities across Europe joined forces to identify and tackle labour exploitation. This recent edition of the EMPACT Joint Action Days targeted trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation purposes, with a special emphasis on the agricultural sector, gastronomy, and temporary work agencies. In […]
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Operation Chargeback: 4.3 million cardholders affected, EUR 300 million in damages
On 4 November 2025, an international coordinated action day targeted three major fraud and money laundering networks as part of Operation “Chargeback.” Led by the Cybercrime Department (Landeszentralstelle Cybercrime) of the General Prosecutor’s Office (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft) in Koblenz, Germany, and the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), the operation has been investigating these networks since December […]
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Over 30 potential victims identified in action against human trafficking enabled online
From 15 to 19 September 2025, Europol supported the fourth edition of the EMPACT Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) Hackathon, an action week against human trafficking enabled online. It was led by Dutch authorities, with the support of Germany and the United Kingdom, and brought together 73 specialists from 26 countries across the world. Eurojust […]
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Five central suspects arrested in whole-sale cocaine trafficking case
Between 1 and 2 October, the Colombian Police (Policia Nacional de Colombia) and the Spanish Guardia Civil, supported by Europol, targeted four key suspects, linked to the so-called Clan del Golfo, allegedly responsible for whole-sale cocaine trafficking operations from South America to Europe. In particular, the criminal network oversaw first-hand the production, transportation and distribution […]
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Luxury hybrid car thieves taken down in Belgium, Italy and Spain
A highly specialised organised crime network responsible for the theft of more than 100 luxury hybrid cars has been dismantled in an international operation led by the Italian Carabinieri with support from Europol and Eurojust. The estimated value of all stolen cars is of at least EUR 3 million. The Russian-speaking criminal network, composed mainly […]
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Spain dismantles criminal network smuggling migrants from Algeria to the EU
The Spanish Guardia Civil, supported by Europol, dismantled a criminal network smuggling migrants by boats from Algeria to Spain and onwards to other EU countries. The network, led by a Moroccan national, was comprised of both Algerian and Moroccan suspects based in Spain. Their operations relied on significant financial and logistical resources, misusing legitimate businesses […]
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Commission finds Temu likely breached Digital Services Act over illegal products
Last July 28, the Commission preliminarily found Temu in breach of the obligation under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to properly assess the risks of illegal products being disseminated on its marketplace. Evidence showed that there is a high risk for consumers in the EU to encounter illegal products on the platform. Specifically, the analysis […]
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28 ‘Ndrangheta associates arrested for drug trafficking and violence
Europol has supported Italian law enforcement in dealing a heavy blow to the ‘Ndrangheta criminal organisation. In an action day conducted on 8 July 2025 across Italy, Spain and Albania, special intervention teams have arrested 28 suspected criminals of Italian and Albanian nationality. Among the individuals taken into custody is an Italian national from the […]
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