The new legislation on seizing criminal assets would ensure fast and efficient freezing operations everywhere in the EU, and quicker compensation for victims. To speed up asset freezing and confiscations and close loopholes, MEPs on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee adopted on Tuesday a draft position on new rules with 50 votes […]
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EU prisons: prison numbers and overcrowding
In 2021, there were 475 038 prisoners in the EU, equivalent to 106 prisoners per 100 000 people. The prisoner rate increased after a decline in 2020 (104 prisoners per 100 000 people) but remained the second-lowest figure since the turn of the century. The highest prisoner rates per 100 000 people in 2021 were […]
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More than 11,000 objects recovered in Spanish-led international operation against art trafficking
Law enforcement has arrested 60 people, and recovered 11 049 stolen artefacts as part of a major international art trafficking crackdown across 14 European countries. Known as Pandora VII, this operation was led by Spain (Guardia Civil), with the support of Europol and INTERPOL. This iteration of the annual Pandora operation consisted of an operational […]
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Eurojust assists in the arrest of 132 members of the ‘Ndrangheta mafia
132 members of one of the most prominent criminal networks in the world were apprehended during an action day that was carried out by ten nations. Authorities from Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Romania, Brazil, and Panama conducted raids at several sites and confiscated a number of businesses early on May 3. On-the-ground […]
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Europol helps arrest 50 people for trafficking hashish and cocaine via African route
Europol supported the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and the Portuguese Judiciary Police (Policia Judiciaria) and National Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) in dismantling a criminal network involved in trafficking large quantities of cocaine and hashish to the European Union via the African route. The investigation also involved law enforcement authorities from France and the United […]
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19 arrested in Spanish-Swedish raid on drug traffickers supported by Europol
Joint actions of the Spanish National Police (Policia National) and the Swedish National Police (Polisen), supported by Europol, have led to the dismantling of a criminal network transporting drugs via trucks between Spain and Sweden. Swedish authorities initiated the investigation into the network in 2019, after establishing a link between a money laundering case and […]
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Europol helps dismantle notorious hacker marketplace that sold your identity to criminals
An unprecedented law enforcement operation involving 17 countries has resulted in the takedown of Genesis Market, one of the most dangerous marketplaces selling stolen account credentials to hackers worldwide. As a result of an action day on 4 April, this illegal service was shut down and its infrastructure seized. Simultaneous actions were also carried out […]
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The European Commission proposed a pilot project to strengthen the exchange of information between Europol and Colombia
On 2 March, the Commission proposed a pilot project to strengthen the exchange of information between Europol and Colombia to investigate and bring criminals to justice and to dismantle organised criminal structures that are behind the production and trafficking of drugs. The pilot project, which will be defined by a group of Member States, will […]
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European Parliament Fisheries Committee will evaluate how Ecuador fights against illegal fishing
A delegation from the EP Fisheries Committee will visit ports and factories in Ecuador and meet with industry representatives and national authorities from February 22-24. Seven MEPs led by committee chair Pierre Karleskind (Renew, France) will travel to Ecuador to examine its fisheries sector and international commitments to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, which […]
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