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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8 arrests for migrant smuggling and drug trafficking across the Mediterranean
Europol has supported Spanish authorities (Policía Nacional) in a transnational operation against a highly-organised network involved in both migrant smuggling and drug trafficking between Spain and Morocco. Authorities believe the group smuggled over 200 people and obtained over EUR 2.5 million in profits. The action day led to the following results: 8 arrests, including the […]
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European Commission revises high-risk countries list to boost global efforts against financial crime
The European Commission has updated its list of high-risk jurisdictions presenting strategic deficiencies in their national anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes. EU entities covered by the AML framework are required to apply enhanced vigilance in transactions involving these countries. This is important to protect the EU financial system. A number […]
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Europol leads operation against online terrorist content targeting minors
On 27 May, Europol coordinated a Referral Action Day (RAD) on minors’ exploitation and radicalisation online. More than 2 000 links pointing to jihadist and right-wing violent extremist and terrorist propaganda targeting minors were referred during the action day. The referral day took place only a few weeks after Europol launched a new Operational Taskforce to tackle […]
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AK rifles and grenades seized as firearms trafficking route into France dismantled
An international firearms trafficking network smuggling assault rifles and grenades into Western Europe has been dismantled following a series of coordinated raids in France, Spain and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the gang, which is believed to have sourced high-powered weapons from illegal markets in the Western Balkans and […]
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Encrypted app reveals criminal networks across Europe
Law enforcement authorities across Europe and Türkiye have dismantled four major criminal networks responsible for fuelling the flow of drugs into the EU and Türkiye, following a series of coordinated raids supported by Europol. These results were made possible by the continued exploitation of encrypted communication platforms, including Sky ECC and ANOM, which remain powerful […]
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Global crackdown on Kidflix, a major child sexual exploitation platform with almost two million users
Kidflix, one of the largest paedophile platforms in the world, has been shut down in an international operation against child sexual exploitation. The investigation was supported by Europol and led by the State Criminal Police of Bavaria (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt) and the Bavarian Central Office for the Prosecution of Cybercrime (ZCB). Over 35 countries worldwide participated […]
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Latest study on Europe’s ecstasy market reveals new trends in production and trafficking
Criminal groups in Europe are adapting and expanding MDMA production, refining trafficking methods and extending their reach to new countries and regions. These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: MDMA — released last March 27th by Europol and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The joint analysis from […]
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12 members of an Irish high-risk criminal network arrested
This week, Irish and Spanish law enforcement authorities took decisive action against one of Ireland’s high-risk criminal networks. In a coordinated series of raids in both countries, An Garda Síochána and Guardia Civil officers arrested 12 suspects (6 in Ireland and 6 in Spain). The criminals are suspected of involvement in large-scale drug trafficking, mainly […]
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