821 criminal networks threaten Europe according to Europol report
Published: Friday, Apr 5th 2024, 12:00
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821 serious criminal networks threaten the EU, according to a Europol report. According to the report on organized crime presented in Brussels on Friday, these professional gangs have more than 25,000 members. Switzerland is a particular focus of cyber criminals.
For the first time, these networks have been identified and analyzed on the basis of data from all EU member states and Europol's partner states, including Switzerland, according to the police authority. The report only deals with the most threatening networks and how they operate.
They are highly professional and internationally operating organizations. They are flexible, controlling and destructive. "They do not operate in an isolated criminal underworld," the report states, "but have a direct impact on the lives of EU citizens."
Every second network deals in drugs
According to the analysis, the main business of the gangs is drug trafficking. Every second network is involved in this, mainly cocaine, but also synthetic drugs and cannabis. Other crimes include fraud, burglary and theft, human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
According to Europol, the greatest threat lies in the infiltration of the legal business world - the aim is to facilitate and conceal crime and launder profits. 86 percent of the networks used legal business structures, with a large majority working with corruption and violence.
Switzerland in the focus of cyber attacks
The criminal networks are active beyond the EU member states. 68 percent of them operate in both EU and non-EU countries. Outside the EU, the networks are particularly active in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Albania, Brazil, Colombia and the United Arab Emirates.
According to the report, Switzerland is particularly affected by cybercrime. Nine gangs are specialized in this. Russian and Ukrainian nationals in particular join these networks. In addition to Switzerland, they mainly operate in France, Germany and the USA.
©Keystone/SDA
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