01

Jul

Joint European police operation dismantles international phone scam network

Law enforcement from Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom, supported by Europol, have tracked down and arrested the head of a criminal network responsible for defrauding hundreds of elderly citizens.…

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27

Jun

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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05

May

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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16

Apr

Criminal network transporting drugs via trucks between Spain and Sweden broken up

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…

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16

Feb

Europe’s biggest Chinese prostitution ring dismantled

An unprecedented law enforcement operation involving different countries has resulted in the dismantlement of an international sex-trafficking ring that held hundreds of Chinese women trapped in debt bondage across Europe. …

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14

Dec

‘Magnitsky’ dirty Russian money laundering suspect arrested in Spain – Europol

PARIS, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Spanish authorities have taken action against a criminal gang suspected of laundering dirty money linked to the Magnitsky case, a 219 million euros ($233 million)…

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28

Nov

Police bring down European cocaine “super cartel”

European policing agency Europol said on Monday it had helped co-ordinate the takedown of a cartel managed from the United Arab Emirates believed to control up to a third of…

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25

Nov

142 arrests in police action against criminal website that offered ‘spoofing’ services to fraudsters

Judicial and law enforcement authorities in Europe, Australia, the United States, Ukraine, and Canada have taken down a website that allowed fraudsters to impersonate trusted corporations or contacts to access…

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13

Nov

Polish police step up the pressure against online child sexual exploitation

The Polish Central Cybercrime Bureau (Centralne Biuro Zwalczania Cyberprzestępczości), supported by Europol, targeted child sexual abuse through the setting-up of a special team of police officers in August. The officers,…

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05

Nov

Joint action by European police against traffickers using the Balkan route

Europol revealed that law enforcement authorities jointly targeted firearms trafficking, drugs trafficking, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings during coordinated EMPACT Joint Action Days between 26 and 29 October.…

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16

Oct

Spanish police dismantle Europe’s largest drug ‘bank’

MADRID  (Reuters) - Spanish police have dismantled a criminal gang they believe was the largest financier of drug trafficking in Europe. The gang, which operated out of a restaurant in…

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06

Jul

Big international police operation smashes gang ‘behind quarter of Channel migrant arrivals in UK’

Concerted work on several national law enforcement investigations across the EU has led to the dismantling of one of the most active criminal networks smuggling migrants across the English Channel…

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15

Jun

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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26

Oct

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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14

Oct

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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05

Oct

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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08

Sep

Netherlands, Belgium supplant Spain as main gateways into Europe for cocaine

Belgium and the Netherlands have become the main hubs for cocaine trafficking to Europe, supplanting Spain as the main route of entry into European countries, Europol said. The report from…

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11

Aug

23 charged over Covid-19 business email compromise fraud

A sophisticated fraud scheme using compromised emails and advance-payment fraud has been uncovered by authorities in Romania, the Netherlands and Ireland as part of an action coordinated by Europol.  On…

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30

Jul

18 arrested for smuggling more than 490 migrants across the Balkan route

Officers from the Romanian Police (Poliția Română) and Border Police (Poliția de Frontieră Română), supported by Europol, dismantled an organised crime group involved in migrant smuggling across the so-called Balkan…

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14

Jul

18 arrests in Europol sting against migrant smugglers

An investigation led by the Spanish National Police, with close cooperation with the Albanian Police and law enforcement and immigration authorities in Austria, France, Italy, Slovenia, Kosovo, Portugal, the United…

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05

Jul

Nine arrested in Moldova and France for €2 million immigration fraud

In the early hours of 28 June, some hundred officers from the French National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) and the Moldovan Border Police (Poliția de Frontieră a Republicii Moldova) with the…

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30

Jun

“DoubleVPN” service used by hackers seized and shut down

Europol, the European police coordinating agency, said on Wednesday that police in Europe, the United States and Canada had seized the domains and servers of "DoubleVPN", a network used by…

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14

Jun

Six arrested for armed robberies of jewellery shops across Europe

An organised crime group behind a sting of violent armed robberies committed across Europe has been dismantled as a result of an international investigation facilitated by Europol. A total of…

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09

Jun

Drugs, weapons, cars and cash: Operation Greenlight/Trojan Shield, the global crime bust in figures

Global law enforcement agencies have busted an international crime network by monitoring encrypted phones used by criminals, leading to hundreds of arrests as well as drug and weapon seizures across…

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08

Jun

Over 800 persons detained global crackdown on organised hi-tech crime

Global law enforcement agencies hacked into an app used by criminals and read millions of encrypted messages, leading to hundreds of arrests of organised crime figures in 18 countries, officials…

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31

May

Three arrested for smuggling over 250 Vietnamese migrants to Germany

In the early hours of 31 May, some 740 police officers carried out coordinated raids across Germany and Slovakia against the members of a criminal syndicate smuggling Vietnamese nationals into…

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20

May

Hit against Euro counterfeiters linked to the Camorra

On 20 May 2021, Europol supported the German Regional Criminal Police of Nordrhein-Westfalen (Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen) and the Italian Finance Corps (Guardia di Finanza) of Rome and Naples in dismantling an…

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03

May

UPDATED: German police make arrests over massive child pornography website

German police have uncovered one of the world’s largest underground websites for child pornography with more than 400,000 users and arrested four people connected to the platform, prosecutors said on…

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21

Apr

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

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…

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19

Feb

WADA and Europol enter into agreement to for cooperation in sports doping

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement (Europol). WADA said the agreement will formally establish and facilitate…

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11

Feb

UPDATED: 10 held in Europol coordinated operation for alleged $100m cryptocurrency theft

Europol, the European police agency, announced it had assisted in the arrest of 10 hackers suspected of stealing $100 million in cryptocurrency in “SIM-swapping” attacks that allowed suspects to gain…

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27

Dec

Cybercriminals’ favourite VPN taken down in global action

The virtual private network (VPN) Safe-Inet used by the world’s foremost cybercriminals has been taken down over the Christmas period in a coordinated law enforcement action led by the German…

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02

Dec

Malta: Europol experts cross-examined by Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers

Europol data extraction experts are facing questions from lawyers defending Yorgen Fenech on Wednesday, as the compilation of evidence against him continues.  Fenech stands accused of complicity in the murder…

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30

Nov

Malta: Yorgen Fenech’s data takes centre stage in Daphne case

Europol experts are testifying on Monday about emails, texts and audio messages extracted from devices linked to Yorgen Fenech. Experts from the EU law enforcement agency have spent months extracting…

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16

Nov

Malta: Individual raided in connection to IPTV crackdown

Police seized IPTV equipment from an individual following searches made in three different properties belonging to the same individual last week. A police spokesperson explained that on 10 November, the…

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16

Nov

Turkish firearms seized in international sweep against illegal trafficking of weapons

A total of 24 European countries - Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Rep, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal,…

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15

Nov

Large group involved in arms trafficking in the Mediterranean dismantled

An investigation that involved the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), Mossos d’Esquadra and the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) and supported by Europol, led to the dismantling of a large…

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07

Nov

Nearly 400 arrested across Europe in anti-child trafficking operation

Europol revealed that it coordinated a Europe-wide operation with Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom targeting child trafficking. The operation, also supported by Frontex, took place between 5 and 11…

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23

Sep

Europol led dark web drugs raid leads to 179 arrests

Police forces around the world have seized more than $6.5m in cash and virtual currencies, as well as drugs and guns in a coordinated raid on dark web marketplaces. Some…

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19

Sep

Original stolen books from Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton found in Romania

During a house search led by the Romanian authorities in the county of Neamt several rare books buried underground were discovered. The books were reported stolen from a warehouse in…

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08

Jul

Dismantling of an encrypted network sends shockwaves through organised crime groups across Europe

Europol and Eurojust have supported the French and Dutch law enforcement authorities in a joint effort to dismantle EncroChat, an encrypted phone network widely used by criminal networks. Over the…

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20

Jun

Malta: Police investigate 17 Black-Montenegro deal ‘in collaboration with Europol’

Police are working with Europol to investigate revelations that Yorgen Fenech’s company 17 Black made millions through an Enemalta wind farm deal in Montenegro. In a brief statement issued on…

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08

Apr

Major European operation against fraud gang based in Bulgaria and Serbia

A large criminal network involved in fraud, money laundering and social engineering was dismantled in an international investigation. Europol and Eurojust supported the investigation which involved law enforcement and judicial…

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28

Mar

Europol warns against coronavirus scams

The European police authority has warned that con artists are preying on fears of illness by offering fake masks, medicine, COVID-19 tests and even vaccines. Across Europe, many companies and…

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12

Mar

Balkan cocaine cartel taken down in Montenegro

A large Balkan criminal network trafficking drugs, mainly cocaine, from source countries to Europe has been dismantled in a large international operation. This hit has severely disrupted/cut one of the…

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08

Mar

Pan-European operation against trafficking of illegal medical products nets €7.9 million

Europol supported a pan-European operation targeting the illicit online and offline trafficking of misused and counterfeit medicines. The operation, led by the French National Gendarmerie (Central Office against Environmental and…

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01

Mar

Indian nationals’ sham marriages for immigration network’s ring leader arrested in Germany

A cross-border criminal investigation into Indian nationals entering into bogus marriages for immigration purposes has led to the arrest on 26 February in Germany of the ringleader of the network.…

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06

Feb

Huge operation against illegal IPTV distributors in Bulgaria

Europol supported a massive crackdown on illegal IPTV distributors in an operation executed by the Cybercrime Unit of the Bulgarian General Directorate Combating Organised Crime of the Ministry of Interior…

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18

Jan

Fuel trafficking ring between Poland and Slovakia dismantled

Europol supported an international operation led by the Criminal Office of the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic (Finančná správa Slovenskej republiky) in cooperation with Polish Customs (Służba Celna). The…

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20

Dec

Crime gang makes over €2 million trafficking illegal steroids worldwide

An investigation by  the Financial Police Division of Hellenic Police, the Central Office to fight Against Environmental and Public Health Crime (OCLAESP) and French Customs (Direction générale des douanes et…

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16

Dec

Over 10 persons arrested for buying counterfeit euros on the Darknet

Between 9 and 11 December 2019 Europol coordinated joint raids against the sale of counterfeit euro banknotes on illegal platforms on the Darknet. Law enforcement authorities from seven EU Member…

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11

Dec

Europe wide operation smashes WhatsApp groups that created and exchanged child abuse material

A successful operation in encrypted chat groups has been carried out by Policia Nacional of Spain.  The investigation, begun in 2017 and led by the Central High Tech Crime Unit,…

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29

Nov

International crackdown on RAT spyware which takes total control of victims’ PCs

A hacking tool that was able to give full remote control of a victim’s computer to cybercriminals has been taken down as a result of an international law enforcement operation…

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27

Nov

Over 70 arrested in worldwide crackdown on airline fraud

Between 18 – 22 November 2019, 60 countries, 56 airlines and 12 online travel agencies were involved in the 12th edition of the Global Airline Action Days (GAAD), an international…

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20

Nov

Over 20 arrests and around 10 000 cultural items seized in an operation targeting Italian archaeological trafficking

On 18 November 2019, an international police operation involving over 350 police officers, supported by Europol (within the framework of EMPACT) and Eurojust, dismantled an international organised crime group involved…

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19

Nov

Conditional Presidential pardon recommended for man claiming to be ‘middleman’ in Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has signed a letter that assures a presidential pardon to a man who claims to know the mastermind behind Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder plot, once evidence…

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14

Nov

15 arrested in joint police operation against human trafficking gang in Lithuania and Spain

The Lithuanian Police and the Spanish National Police supported by Europol and Eurojust, have dismantled a large organised crime group involved in human trafficking for sexual exploitation. ​The criminal group,…

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