Europe

Europe’s police crack down on cross-border crime groups

cde.news desk 21 April 2021, 11:40 · 1 min read

An exterior view of the new Europol headquarters, the alliance of the European Union police and a multinational research organization, in The Hague, The Netherlands 01 July 2011, (reissued 14 May 2017). Media reports on 14 May 2017 state that experts of Europol expect a wave of further attacks on computers with so-called 'Ransomware'. A cyber attack hit at least 150 countries world wide with an estimate 200,000 victims, Europol chief Rob Wainwright was cited as saying in an interview with British broadcaster ITV. It is expected that there are even more attacks on computers recorded at the beginning of the new working week, Wainwright added. The so-called 'WannaCry' ransomware cyber attack hit the computers by encrypting files from affected computer units and demanded 300 US dollars through bitcoin to decrypt the files. EPA/LEX VAN LIESHOUT

More than 200 people were arrested last week in 17 European countries in a coordinated crackdown on cross-border movements of stolen goods, illegal drugs and cash, the European police agency Europol said on Wednesday.

The agency said the actions, coordinated by the Netherlands and aimed at groups using European highway networks, was focused on property crime. It resulted in 228 arrests as well as the seizing of 88 vehicles, other goods, cash and illegal drugs.

In one case, German authorities stopped a man suspected by Danish authorities of stealing GPS devices from farm machines.

“During the check of his vehicle, the German officer discovered 30 GPS units from agricultural machines, approximately 100 kg of gold, silver and ivory jewellery, nearly 50 new high-end smartphones and 20 laptops,” Europol said in a statement.

The suspect, who was not named, will be extradited to Denmark.

Countries that participated in the action included Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Albania.

Photo: EPA/LEX VAN LIESHOUT