Crime

Ireland in record $166 mln cocaine seizure after naval operation

DUBLIN, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Irish rangers made the country's biggest ever drugs seizure after a naval operation involving warning shots being fired at a Panamanian cargo vessel which had…

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Corpses, body parts strewn across Mexico’s Monterrey in spate of violence

By Laura Gottesdiener MONTERREY, Mexico, (Reuters) - Mutilated corpses and severed body parts were found dumped in seven locations across the metropolitan area of the Mexican city of Monterrey in…

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Facing ‘torrent of theft’, UK retailers press for police action

By James Davey LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - A coalition of British retail industry groups and shopworkers union USDAW has written to police leaders in England and Wales calling on…

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Italy government targets violent teens and parents in “Baby gang” crackdown

By Giuseppe Fonte and Alvise Armellini ROME (Reuters) - Parents of Italian children who drop out of school could face jail sentences under new steps to counter juvenile delinquency in…

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Photo Story: Italian interforce anti-Mafia operation in Rome and Naples

Special police units, financial police and carabinieri, take part in the joint operation with 'High Impact' mode, in the Spanish quarters of Naples, Italy, 07 September 2023. In total, 800…

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UK to make whole-life sentences mandatory for worst killers

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government said that judges will be required to impose mandatory "whole life orders" on killers who commit the most horrific types of murder, meaning they…

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Railway stations in Brussels becoming a hotspot for crack cocaine and crime

Belgian capital Brussels is seeing a disturbing trend that has been shaking up the city. It's gotten so bad, in fact, that on Wednesday 40 Brussels neighborhood committees and associations…

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Italian police net record 5-tonne cocaine haul off Sicilian coast

ROME, July 21 (Reuters) - Italian authorities have seized a record 5.3 tonne cocaine haul being transferred between ships off the southern coast of Sicily, police said on Friday. …

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Encrypted phone service ‘Encrochat’ shutdown leads to 6,500 arrests – Europol

European policing agency Europol said on Tuesday that the takedown of Encrochat, an underground company that offered criminals supposedly secure encrypted communications, led to more than 6,500 arrests and 900…

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Suella Braverman urges forces to ‘ramp up’ the use of stop-and-search powers

The home secretary has told police leaders to "ramp up" the use of stop-and-search powers to prevent more knife attacks and "save more lives". In a message to all 43…

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Two tourists killed in separate attacks in Mexican hotspot

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Canadian tourist was killed in the Mexican state of Oaxaca this week, local authorities said, a day after another tourist was killed in an attack…

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Roman marble bust among 11,000 stolen artefacts recovered in European crackdown

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A crackdown on international art trafficking has recovered 11,049 stolen artefacts, including ancient coins and books and a marble bust believed to represent the niece of a…

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68 people arrested in Sicily, Calabria and Lombardy over car theft and cocaine trafficking

Carabinieri police based in the Sicilian port city of Catania on Friday executed arrest warrants against 68 people thought to belong to two criminal organisations involved in car theft and…

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Italian police seize 2 tonnes of cocaine off the coast of Sicily

Finance police on Monday seized two tonnes of cocaine found floating off the east coast of Sicily.The drug, with an estimated market value of over 400 million euros, was wrapped…

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Photo Story: Spain, Portugal joint operation dismantles one of Europe’s largest cocaine labs

The material seized during an operation carried out by Spain' National Police and Portugal's Judicial Police sits on a table during a press conference in Madrid, Spain, 13 April 2023.…

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Italian drugs cartels conceal payments via Chinese shadow banks

By Emilio Parodi MILAN (Reuters) - Drugs cartels operating in Italy are increasingly using shadow networks of unlicensed Chinese money brokers to conceal cross-border payments, according to Italian judicial and…

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Gun attacks in Germany in recent years

BERLIN, March 10 (Reuters) - The attack at a Jehovah's Witnesses worship hall in Hamburg, in which a gunman shot dead seven people including an unborn child before killing himself,…

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Foiled multimillion dollar airport heist leaves two dead in Chile

SANTIAGO, (Reuters) - A foiled multimillion-dollar heist at Chile's largest airport left two dead, highlighting concerns of rising crime in the Andean nation. Footage widely shared on social media shows…

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Italian police arrest sister of jailed top mafioso Messina Denaro

ROME, March 3 (Reuters) - Rosalia Messina Denaro, the sister of Italy's recently jailed top mafioso, was arrested on Friday on charges of associating with a mafia organisation, Italian police…

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Ghislaine Maxwell seeks to throw out sex trafficking conviction in Epstein case

Ghislaine Maxwell has asked a U.S. appeals court to throw out her conviction for helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls, saying a slew of errors marred her trial and prosecutors made…

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Euston drive-by shooting at funeral may have links to Colombian drug cartel

A convicted member of the Colombian Cali drug cartel was the husband and father of two women whose memorial service was targeted by a drive-by gunman. A seven-year-old girl was…

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Nine-year-old fatally shot in Liverpool

The city of Liverpool woke up in shock on Tuesday after a nine-year-old girl was fatally shot in Liverpool. According to the police, Merseyside Police officers attended a house on…

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Gunman opens fire at Oslo gay bar, killing two on Pride parade day

OSLO (Reuters) - A gunman went on a terrifying rampage in a gay bar and the surrounding streets in Oslo on Saturday, killing two people and injuring more than 20…

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Two people wounded in attack in Sweden, one arrested

Two people were wounded in an attack in the Swedish town of Vasteras on Tuesday, police said, adding that one person had been arrested. Police in a statement said a sharp object…

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Spanish operation takes down police and customs officers helping ship cocaine and hashish into Europe

With the support of Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre, the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and National Police (Policía Nacional) have dismantled a drugs trafficking network which allegedly…

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Italian police deals blow to Colombian drug gang, tonnes of cocaine seized

Italian police have seized 4.3 tonnes of cocaine with a street value of 240 million euros ($255.86 million), carrying out an elaborate sting against the Colombian Clan del Golfo drugs…

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How crypto giant Binance became a hub for hackers, fraudsters and drug traffickers

In September 2020, a North Korean hacking group known as Lazarus broke into a small Slovakian crypto exchange and stole virtual currency worth some $5.4 million. It was one of…

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Factbox: Despite recent uptick, New York City crime down from past decades

A shooting at a New York City subway station on Tuesday brought fresh attention to crime in the most populous American city, with 8.8 million people as of 2020, according…

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Germany sees drop in overall crime, rise in online crime and child sex abuse images

Germany's top security officials presented crime statistics for the year 2021 this week, documenting some 5.05 million cases. Though overall crime was down 4.9% over 2020 — the fifth year…

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Vatican corruption trial mired as judge orders new long adjournment

A corruption trial related to the Vatican's purchase of a luxury building in London was adjourned for nearly six weeks on Tuesday, another long delay underscoring how it remains mired in its opening stages…

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Italy judge convicts 70 people in major mafia trial

ROME, Nov 8 (Reuters) - An Italian judge found 70 defendants guilty in the first sentencing at one of the country's largest-ever mafia trials. The case involves the 'Ndrangheta clan,…

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Man arrested on suspicion of killing a nine-year-old Spanish boy

The Spanish Civil Guard has arrested a man on suspicion of the murder of a nine-year-old boy. The minor, who was allegedly tricked into accompanying the suspect from a park,…

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Smuggling network up in smoke: Seven arrested in Spain

Moroccan and Malian nationals apprehended after using former tobacco smuggling routes to facilitate illegal immigration between Spain and France A joint investigation by Spain’s Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and the…

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More than 150 arrested in global crackdown on Darknet traders: Dutch media

At least 150 people have been arrested by European and U.S. authorities after a joint crackdown on traders of drugs, weapons and other illicit goods on darknet e-commerce sites, Dutch media reported Tuesday citing…

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Spanish police arrests 5 people on suspicion of terrorist attack

With the active support of Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre, the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) has arrested in Barcelona and Madrid five suspected members of an Islamic State cell. The…

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Labour in vineyards and farms checked across Europe

Between 09 and 16 September 2021, Europol supported Europe-wide coordinated action days against human trafficking for labour exploitation in the agricultural sector. The operation, led by France, involved a wide…

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VAT fraud with cash registers uncovered in Germany

More than 300 Italian restaurants in Germany allegedly used manipulated cash registers to avoid taxes The German Tax Office for Investigation and Criminal Matters (Finanzamt für Fahndung und Strafsachen) and…

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Malta: Malta Enterprise representative testifies in proceedings against Hillman

More witnesses were expected to take the stand in the criminal proceedings against former Allied Newspapers managing director Adrian Hillman on Tuesday morning. Hillman stands accused of money laundering, conspiracy…

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Malta: Eyewitness saw hunter shoot flamingos with shotgun, court hears

An eyewitness who saw the killing of four flamingos in Qawra testified in court that he saw hunter Miguel Zammit pointing his shotgun in the air shortly after the flamingos…

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U.S. President Reagan’s shooter John Hinckley wins unconditional release

A U.S. judge on Monday said he would grant "unconditional release" to John Hinckley, who wounded former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and three other people in a 1981 assassination attempt. "I am…

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Malta: Italian court papers expose Italy-Malta drug ring

Drug runners used secret compartments hidden in cars to smuggle cocaine into Malta via a local ferry company, according to Italian court documents. Italy’s finance police on Tuesday busted an international…

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Malta: School receptionist accused of sexually harassing security staff

A school receptionist has been arraigned on charges of sexually harassing three members of security staff stationed on school premises. Joseph Borg, 61, of Marsaskala, was shaking in the dock as…

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British gangs and Italian mafia join forces to increase cocaine sales

British organised crime groups are collaborating closely with former international rivals like the Italian mafia to import increasingly bigger cocaine shipments into Europe, a senior investigator has revealed. Lawrence Gibbons,…

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Malta: Iklin shooting victim allegedly defrauded shooter of €7,000

The man suspected of having shot a man in his right shoulder on Thursday confronted the victim over a personal matter that has been dragging on after he allegedly defrauded…

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Malta: Italian fugitive in Naxxar shooting connected to Qormi arson

Two men have been remanded in custody after they were charged with setting a shop on fire in August. Officers from the Arsons Unit within Major Crimes arrested the two…

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Malta: Yorgen Fenech indicted on money laundering charges

A magistrates’ court has found there is sufficient evidence for Yorgen Fenech to be indicted over money laundering and fraud to the detriment of Glimmer Ltd, a company he partly…

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Malta: Pilatus Bank and official charged; inquiry recommends nine face action

The now-shuttered Pilatus Bank and a top official were arraigned on money laundering charges on Thursday. Claude-Ann Sant Fournier, 41, appeared in court following police investigations and a magisterial inquiry. Source…

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Malta: Community Police close beach bags in an attempt to ward off pick-pocketers

The crime of pick-pocketing on beaches is very common during the summer months. That is why at the end of last week, a number of community police officers were seen…

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Malta: Released from custody after he was charged with stabbing another man in Birkirkara

30-year old Cranston Portelli from Ħal Qormi was released from custody after he was arraigned in Court charged with grievously wounding another man on Sunday in Birkirkara. He was also…

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Malta: Woman accused of murdering partner had complained of domestic violence

A woman accused of murdering her partner had repeatedly complained of domestic abuse and even threatened to commit suicide, the court compiling evidence has heard. 44-year-old Mayumi Santos Patacsil, from…

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Malta: Grenades, pistols and poison: Yorgen Fenech’s dark web purchases listed in court

Yorgen Fenech bought grenades, poison, machine guns, pistols and around 800 bullets more than one year after Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered, a court heard on Wednesday. The business mogul,…

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Malta: Mosta ‘cat killer’ challenges seven-year detention inside mental health facility

Nicholas Grech, the man believed to be responsible for the Mosta cat killings but acquitted of all charges due to insanity, is challenging his seven-year detention inside the Mt Carmel mental…

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Malta: Two men stole food to feed themselves, court hears

Two men who targeted various outlets of a local chain store, stealing foodstuffs to feed themselves after running into serious financial problems, were remanded in custody pending judgment. Mario Campolo,…

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Sweden to widen police data-access powers to fight gang violence

Sweden plans to give police greater powers to access data from mobile phones as it bids to rein in a surge in gang-related violence plaguing its major cities, the government said on…

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Malta: Birkirkara lotto office hold-up thief jailed for three years

20-year old Noel Sciberras from Birkirkara admitted in Court with committing a hold-up at a lotto office in Triq Dun Filippu Borg, Birkirkara. He was imprisoned for three years. Sciberras…

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Malta: Boy, 7, beaten and forced to have sex with prostitutes

An appeals court has confirmed an eight-year jail sentence for a man who subjected his seven-year old son to a life of sex, beatings, pornography, prostitution and drugs. Judgment was…

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Malta: Man arrested after police find drugs worth over €100,000

A 32-year-old man was arrested after police found 1.8kg of suspected cocaine in his possession on Tuesday in Birkirkara. Police said after days of surveillance, they stopped a vehicle in Triq Borg driven by…

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