Category: Drug trafficking

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Eurojust supports major operation against Albanian drug-trafficking ring in Italy: 66 arrests

Source: Eurojust

26 September 2024|

A large-scale cocaine-smuggling ring was dismantled by authorities in Italy, Albania, Poland and Switzerland, coordinated by Eurojust. During an action day, a total of 45 suspects were arrested, most of them in Italy. Prior to the action day, 21 suspects involved in the sale of cocaine in and around the city of Brescia were arrested. In total, 66 arrests were made. The Albanian-led organised crime group (OCG) had been selling cocaine from Latin America for at least four years, mainly in the north of Italy.

Eurojust set up a coordination centre this week to support and coordinate the actions of all authorities involved. During the investigations and the action day, for an estimated amount of EUR 4 million in cash was seized, as well as 360 kilograms of cocaine, luxury vehicles and watches, telecommunications equipment, arms and ammunition.

Investigations into the drug-smuggling network started in 2020 at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) of Brescia. The OCG used five warehouses and storage centres in and around Brescia to distribute the cocaine.

Credits: Guardia di Finanza di Brecia 

The suspects laundered their illegal profits via an extensive network of enterprises run by an Italian-Chinese organisation set up for this purpose, which supplied fake invoices with a total value of around EUR 375 million. The OCG members will be charged with the trafficking of illicit drugs, money laundering and investment fraud.

During this week’s action day, over 400 officers were deployed across Italy. To assist the authorities on the ground, Eurojust set up a coordination centre at its premises in The Hague and supported the execution of European Arrest Warrants and requests for Mutual Legal Assistance towards Albania and Switzerland. Europol facilitated the exchange of information between the involved countries and provided operational coordination as well as analytical support. On the action day, a Europol analyst with a mobile office was deployed to cross-check information on the spot in Italy.

The operations were carried out at the request of the PPO of Brescia via the following authorities:

  • Italy: PPO Brescia; Anti-Mafia District Directorate of the Guardia di Finanza – Provincial Command of Brescia; Central Investigation Service for Organised Crime (SCICO), Rome; International Police Cooperation Service Liaison Bureau, Tirana
  • Poland: PPO Warsaw; Central Police Bureau of Investigations
  • Albania: Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK); Albanian State Police
  • Switzerland: Office of Attorney-General; Federal Police (Fedpol)
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Fugitive Italian crime leader arrested in Slovenia

Source: Eurojust

A fast and coordinated action by Italian and Slovenian authorities, supported by Eurojust, has led to the arrest of a dangerous criminal hiding in Koper, Slovenia. The leader of an Italian organised crime group (OCG) was on the run from a 21-year prison sentence. He had been convicted of several crimes including drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping.

The Italian OCG leader, of Calabrian origin, fled on the eve of his conviction in February this year. A national and European Arrest Warrant was issued for the 40-year-old fugitive. Complex investigations lasting several months were launched. The fugitive was finally located in Slovenia through a phone tapping and surveillance operation.

It was at this point that Eurojust became involved in the operation by executing a European Investigation Order (EIO). The EIO enabled surveillance activities in Slovenia, including phone tracking and physical tailing. In just 10 days, the EIO was executed and the Slovenian and Italian authorities were able to pinpoint the fugitive’s precise location in Koper, leading to his arrest on 20 August.

In February, the OCG leader was sentenced to 21 years in prison. The Italian was the leader of a criminal organisation that trafficked cocaine throughout Italy. He was also convicted of other crimes such as robbery, fraud, embezzlement, extortion, kidnapping and the illegal possession of weapons. In a separate trial, he was found guilty of mafia-related offences.

The following authorities were involved in the actions:

  • Italy: General Prosecution Office at the Court of Appeal of Perugia; Carabinieri – ROS (Special Operational Department); Anti-crime Section of Ancona and Investigation Unit of Fermo; SIRENE Office at the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • Slovenia: Public Prosecution Office of Koper; Police Directorate in Koper.
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Drug trafficking network active across Europe dismantled

Source: Eurojust

Drugs used for the group’s illegal activities were supplied by members in Spain. The drugs were then transported across Europe by couriers, who concealed the supplies in trucks that were in the possession of the organisation. Members based in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Spain and Ukraine, then sold the drugs on their local drug markets.

Drug trafficking remains one of the most serious security threats in Europe. Europol’s report on criminal networks shows that 50% of the most threatening criminal networks active in the EU are involved in drug trafficking, and 50% of all homicides in Europe are directly connected to drug trafficking. It is crucial that judicial authorities from different countries collaborate in their investigations, as drug trafficking frequently crosses borders. Eurojust has observed a twofold increase in cross-border drug trafficking cases since 2020, with over 2 462 cases supported in 2023.

The Italian authorities initiated investigations into the drug trafficking network in December 2021. The investigations revealed that the group, consisting of individals from various nationalities, was operating across Europe. To ensure that the group could not evade justice, Italian authorities used Eurojust’s facilities to facilitate investigations in other countries and execute house searches and seizures.

At a coordination centre at Eurojust, in the early morning of 2 July, authorities from Italy, Belgium, Germany, Spain and Ukraine worked together with Europol and Interpol to arrest 13 suspects. During house searches, several electronic devices, drugs and money was found.

The operation was financially supported by the @ON network, which funded by the European Commission and led by the Italian Antimafia Directorate (DIA).

The actions were carried out by the following authorities:

  • Italy: Procure della Repubblica di L’Aquila e Teramo (Public Prosecution Offices of L’Aquila and Teramo); Carabinieri Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale (Special Operational Group) of L’Aquila
  • Belgium: PPO Mons; Federal Police of Mons
  • Germany: Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Düsseldorf (General Public Prosecutor`s Office Düsseldorf); Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen (State Criminal Police Office of North Rhine-Westphalia)
  • Spain: Juzgado central of Instruccion num 6 (Central Investigative Judge num. 6 at Audiencia Nacional); Fiscalia Antidroga at Audiencia Nacional (PP Antidrug at Audiencia Nacional); Group OCT Udyco Central of Policia Nacional (Group OCT Udyco Central of National Police)
  • Ukraine: Prosecutor General’s Office; Counter Narcotics Department of the National
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Website used for child pornography, prostitution and drug dealing taken down with support of Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

An online platform known for facilitating various crimes was taken down by the French authorities, in cooperation with Bulgaria, Germany Lithuania, the Netherlands and Hungary. The authorities had been investigating the digital platform since December 2023. During an action day on 24 June the servers located in Germany were seized and disconnected and over EUR 5.6 million of criminal funds were frozen.

The website was used for many years to facilitate a range of criminal activities, in particular for child pornography, sexual exploitation, drug dealing, ambushes and even homicides. Criminals were able to send messages and connect with other criminals active in their criminal activities.

Since 2021, more than 23 000 judicial procedures have been initiated involving the online platform. At least 480 victims of the platform have been heard during these judicial procedures. Investigations into the platform were started by French authorities in December 2023. These investigations showed that the platform was concealing and facilitating transactions for organised crime groups and was enabling criminal activities such as pimping and paedophilia.

A coordinated action to take down the website was carried out with the full support of Eurojust. The authorities seized the servers located in Germany, which resulted in the platform being disconnected and the display of a splash page. The Lithuanian and Hungarian authorities ensured the swift execution of freezing orders, which led to the freezing of over EUR 5.6 million in criminal funds.

At the same time, a European Investigation Order (EIO), issued from France, was successfully executed in Bulgaria. All investigative actions have been carried out in presence of French magistrates and officials from the Law enforcement authorities of France upon authorisation by the competent Bulgarian authorities. As part of the execution of the EIO, bank statements were  revealed, searches and seizures were carried out and witnesses were questioned.

The actions were carried out by the following authorities:

  • France: PPO Paris JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction against organised Crime) Cybercrime Unit; Gendarmerie Nationale – Cybercrime unit; ONAF (Anti Fraud National Office)
  • Bulgaria: Sofia City PPO and General Police Directorate Combating Organised Crime
  • Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Limburg; Hessian State Criminal Police Office
  • Hungary: Budapest IX. District Public Prosecutor’s Office
  • Lithuania: Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office
  • The Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office Amsterdam
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Eurojust assists with taking down of drug trafficking ring involved in killing of rivals in Greece

Source: Eurojust

Eurojust has supported the Greek and Serbian authorities in dismantling a drug trafficking network allegedly involved in the murder of four members of a rival gang in Greece. In total, ten suspects were arrested in Serbia, Greece and Spain for the murders, which took place in 2020. Eurojust also supported and funded a joint investigation team (JIT) between Greece and Serbia to dismantle the organised crime group (OCG).

The OCG was based in the Western Balkans and was mainly involved in large-scale drug trafficking. It faced a split within its own organisation in 2014, with a rival group being set up in Greece. This split in the OCG led to a series of murder attempts and killings across Europe. Four members of the Greek-based criminal network were killed in 2020 on Corfu and in Vari on the mainland of Greece.

Investigations by both the Greek and Serbian authorities detected links to the original OCG. In 2023, Eurojust assisted the Greek and Serbian authorities in setting up and funding the JIT into the OCG in the Western Balkans. The Agency also assisted national authorities to prepare, at police level and under the supervision of prosecutors, the concerted actions in recent weeks to dismantle the criminal network.

Europol has been supporting the investigation since April 2021 and brought together the Greek and Serbian investigators to establish a joint strategy and prepare for the final day of action. Europol’s Serious Organised Crime Centre carried out extensive operational analysis to identify the entire organisation responsible for the homicides. Greek investigators were also deployed to Europol’s headquarters to develop the intelligence on their key targets.

In total, 39 suspects have been identified, including the ten detained persons. The authorities involved will now coordinate further judicial action against the OCG members based in the Western Balkans.

The actions on the ground were carried out by and at request of the following authorities:

  • Greece: Department of Extradition and Judicial Assistance of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) of the Court of Appeals Athens; PPO of First Instance Court Athens; Department of Crimes Against Life and Personal Liberty of Attica Security Directorate
  • Serbia: Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime; Ministry of Interior, Police Directorate, Service for Combatting Organised Crime; Security Intelligence Agency
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Eurojust coordinates arrests in Swedish cannabis trafficking case

Source: Eurojust

Eurojust has supported the Swedish and Spanish authorities in the coordinated arrest of four suspects involved in the wholesale and transport of cannabis and other illicit drugs. The main suspect was allegedly organising the reception of the drugs in Sweden and their distribution in and around Stockholm. He was arrested in Spain based on a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) with a view to surrender him to Sweden.

Eurojust set up a coordination centre last week to assist the Swedish and Spanish authorities with the exchange of information and the execution of the EAW, as well as European Investigation Orders. A number of premises were also searched and various goods and telecommunications equipment seized during concerted actions in both countries.

Based on the interception and decoding by the Swedish authorities of large-scale encrypted communications, it was established that the suspects has transported, received and stored large quantities of cannabis in the second half of 2020. During this period, also a large quantity of the synthetic drug MDMA was handled. 

At the request of the Swedish authorities, Eurojust enabled contact with their counterparts in Spain, where the main suspect in this case was residing. The actions on the ground were carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:

  • Sweden: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Stockholm; Swedish Police; Nordic Police and Customs Liaison Officer, Malaga.
  • Spain: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Alicante, International Cooperation Unit; Guardia Civil; Policía Nacional.
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Tackling major organised drug crime top priority for Belgian EU Presidency

Source: Eurojust

Commenting on the priorities of the Belgian EU Presidency, Ms Hilde Vandevoorde, National Member for Belgium at Eurojust, said: ‘The Belgian Presidency has put forward different priorities that are of direct importance in the daily work of the judicial practitioners. Tackling large-scale drug-related organised crime groups using logistic hubs and, more specifically, large ports is the top priority. As this crime type always has a major cross-border aspect, the role of Eurojust is essential in helping EU Member States and third countries to cooperate.’

Belgium currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU until 30 June 2024. With regard to major drug-related cross-border crime, during the Belgian Presidency Eurojust will work closely with its judicial partners in third countries, from which large-scale illicit exports of drugs take place. For this purpose, the Agency can build on a network of over 70 Contact Points worldwide and its counterparts in Latin America.

These include, in particular, the Association of Ibero-Amerian Public Prosecutors (AIAMP) and the Ibero-American Network of International Legal Cooperation (IberRED). In view of extending cross-border judicial cooperation, the European Commission is negotiating international agreements with Argentina, Brazil and Colombia, which will further enable collaboration via Eurojust.

In its priorities for judicial cooperation during its Presidency, Belgium will also underline the role of small-scale detention as an alternative to prisons. Across Belgium, around 700 spaces will be created in small-scale detention for prisoners who have received up to three years of imprisonment as a sentence.

For groups of 20 to 60 offenders per centre, a programme has been set up to work on their reintegration and abilities to live independently. For the Belgian authorities, the detention houses play a major role in preventing prisoners from committing new offences.

During the Presidency, the importance of victims’ rights will also be highlighted. Victims’ rights play an essential cross-cutting role in the judicial process in Belgium, and to promote the international dimension a dedicated symposium will be held at Eurojust in April this year.

An estimated 15 % of European citizens fall victim to crime every year, with Eurojust also focusing specifically on the importance of their interests in judicial proceedings. For more information on Eurojust and victims’ rights, please consult the special webpage.

The Belgian Presidency will also concentrate on pending legal initiatives, which are currently still being discussed with the European Parliament, particularly those concerning trafficking in human beings, violence against women and the transfer of proceedings.

In line with a an established tradition at Eurojust for every Member State holding the Presidency of the Council, an exhibition of artwork is organised. For the first six months of 2024, Belgian sculptor Damien Moreau displays a large collection of his statues at the Agency, some of which have been specifically created in relation to the Presidency.