Forty-five people have been arrested in a major international operation against a drug-trafficking network between Brazil and Europe, Europol announced on Friday. The European police agency also revealed that more than 52 tons of cocaine were also seized by law enforcement agencies.
An international law enforcement operation against maritime pollution has revealed hundreds of violations and exposed serious cases of contamination worldwide. Codenamed 30 Days at Sea, the month-long (1 to 31 October) operation saw some 276 law enforcement and environmental agencies across 58 countries detect over 500 offences, including illegal discharges of oil and garbage from vessels, ship-breaking, breaches of ship emissions regulations, and pollution on rivers and land-based runoff to the sea.
Europol have coordinated an international operation with authorities from France, Italy, Malta, Spain and Portugal to arrest 79 individuals for their involvement in Europe’s bluefin tuna market. Operation Tarantelo was launched when the Spanish Guardia Civil noted irregularities involving bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean Sea.
Europol and the Centre for Climate Crime Analysis (CCCA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at reinforcing their efforts to address environmental crimes, especially those that have an impact on climate change.
A major investigation involving Europol and police teams from 13 European countries has uncovered an extensive criminal network involved in widespread football match-fixing. A total of 425 match officials, club officials, players, and serious criminals, from more than 15 countries, are suspected of being involved in attempts to fix more than 380 professional football matches.
A combined operation involving police forces from Peru, Spain, US Secret Service and Europol dismantled on Wednesday a counterfeit banknote print shop in Lima and arrested one suspect.
The trade of illegal and counterfeit pesticides is proliferating in Europe reports Europol. The exceptional ‘low risk – high profit’ margin, combined with the lack of harmonisation in legislation and implementation, make this a fast growing area of organised crime.
The World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Organised Crime, meeting in Davos, has issued a three page report on the international organised crime situation.
Europol’s new iOCTA* report examines how EU citizens are risking their personal identities, privacy and computer data through the use of social media tools which are increasingly a target for cybercriminal activity.