Organized crime in the EU: criminal networks benefit from the pandemic

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Photo: Yuriko Nakao / Getty Images

Organized crime is spreading across the European Union, according to a Europol report.

The European police authority warned in an analysis presented in Lisbon that the EU and its citizens have never been so threatened.

There is a great risk that criminals will take advantage of the corona crisis with the economic recession and people's fears.

These could be "ideal conditions" for criminals to target citizens, businesses and public authorities, says the 87-page report.

Initially, this was shown in the trade in counterfeit masks and disinfectants.

"Now the trade in counterfeit vaccines and tests is increasing," said Europol Director Catherine De Bolle.

Counterfeit vaccines pose a health risk and should not come into circulation under any circumstances.

According to Europol, cyber crime also increased with the corona pandemic.

In January, the Emotet malware, which carried out the “most dangerous” cyber attack in the world to date, was shut down.

Billions in profits in the cocaine trade

The comprehensive analysis is based on thousands of cases and data collected by investigators and security services in the EU.

According to the report, 70 percent of the gangs and networks are active in at least three EU countries.

A good 40 percent of the gangs are active in drug trafficking, by far the largest criminal business in the EU.

According to the report, "unprecedented amounts of cocaine" have been smuggled into the EU from Latin America.

From this, criminals in Europe and South America raised billions.

The purity of the cocaine smuggled into Europe is at the "highest level ever established," it said at Europol.

The authority also pointed out that in a raid by the Dutch and German police at the end of February, 23 tons of cocaine had been seized.

Criminal networks infiltrate legal economies

The analysis reveals how closely the underworld is interwoven with the legal world.

According to this, more than 80 percent of criminal networks use legal business structures and are themselves organized like commercial enterprises, with different management levels.

Organized crime directly controls or infiltrates legal business structures.

According to the report, all legal economic structures are potentially susceptible to being taken over by criminal organizations.

More than 60 percent of the gangs also used corruption as a tool.

"Parallel Underground Financial System"

Organized crime is deliberately infiltrating European economies.

"The extent and complexity of money laundering activities in the EU have been underestimated," the report says.

Professional money launderers would have created a "parallel underground financial system" in order to carry out transactions and payments far away from the legal financial system and thus from any control and traceability.

Concerning all citizens in the EU: violent attacks seem to be more common - and they are also becoming more brutal, according to the report.

Weapons or explosives are used in public more and more frequently: “Criminals use violence indiscriminately and target victims regardless of their importance or possible involvement.

In doing so, they often accept that bystanders may be harmed. "

ala / dpa / AFP