On 31 May, more harmonised anti-corruption rules came into force across the EU under the new Anti-Corruption Directive. The Directive introduces modern rules to better prevent, detect and punish corruption throughout the EU, thereby helping to safeguard democratic institutions, the rule of law and public trust, whilst promoting competitiveness across the European Union. The new […]
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The Commission is launching a €16.5 million call for proposals to dismantle criminal networks
On 21 May, the European Commission published a call for proposals to co-fund projects aimed a tcombating organised crime, drug trafficking and human trafficking. With a budget of €16.55 million, support will be provided to police forces and law enforcement agencies in general, as well as to civil society and other public and private bodies […]
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34 arrests in Spain during action against the ‘Black Axe’ criminal organisation
The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), in close cooperation with the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt) and with the support of Europol, has conducted an operation against the international criminal organisation ‘Black Axe’. The action resulted in 34 arrests and significant disruptions to the group’s activities. Black Axe is a highly structured, hierarchical […]
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EU strengthens legal protections and support systems for victims of crime
The new rules, provisionally agreed by EU co-legislators, seek to reinforce support and protection measures for victims and their rights in criminal proceedings. On Wednesday evening, negotiators from Parliament reached an informal agreement with the Council to update the 2012 Victims’ Rights directive following a proposal by the Commission in 2023. The agreement succeeds in: strengthening […]
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Europol and Spanish National Police disrupt activities of far-right terrorist group ‘The Base’
Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) in disrupting activities of the far-right terrorist group ‘The Base’. The operation took place over three days in Madrid and Valencia, resulting in significant seizures and the arrest of three suspected far-right extremists on 25 November 2025. The operation was led by the General Commissariat of Information […]
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Help4U: A new digital platform to support young people facing online sexual abuse
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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