Category: JIT funding

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Alleged large-scale coin forger arrested in Kosovo due to Eurojust support

Source: Eurojust

06 August 2024|

With support provided via the Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project, hosted by Eurojust, an alleged large-scale coin forger has been arrested in Kosovo*. The arrested person is an employee of the North-Macedonian Ministry of the Interior and is suspected of producing around 2 million fake EUR 2 coins, which were about to be circulated into the Kosovar economy.

Europol provided intelligence analysis, operational coordination and technical assistance to ensure the successful apprehension of the suspect.

Investigations will now seek to establish the full scale of the coin forgery. During searches of the suspect’s home, machines for the production of counterfeit currency, coin templates and raw materials have been seized. The suspect had been under surveillance for a longer period.

His successful apprehension was the result of a joint investigation team (JIT) supported by the Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project, and financed as part of the operational activities of the investigations. The investigations were also financially supported by the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).

EMPACT tackles the most important threats posed by organised and serious international crime affecting the European Union. EMPACT strengthens intelligence, strategic and operational cooperation between national authorities, EU institutions and bodies, and international partners. EMPACT runs in four-year cycles focusing on common EU crime priorities. Fraud, economic and financial crimes are among the priorities for the 2021-2025 Policy Cycle.

The following authorities were involved in the operations:

  • Kosovo*: Special Prosecution Office (SPRK) and Kosovo Police, Directorate for Investigation of Economic Crimes and Corruption
  • North Macedonia: Basic Public Prosecution Office Skopje – Investigative Centre; Ministry of Interior, Department for Suppression of Organised and Serious Crime

* This designation is made without prejudice to positions on status and is in accordance with UNSCR 1244/ 1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

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Eurojust assists in uncovering a high-level corruption scheme

Source: Eurojust

It is believed that with their bribes, the fugitives with a Red Notice attempted to obtain asylum or refugee seeker status in Moldova or other countries in an effort to delete or block a Red Notice. Moreover, the suspects sought information about their INTERPOL Red Notice to try and avoid detection. A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate an individual for extradition, surrender or other legal action.

Effective and quick international cooperation was key to putting a stop to the corruption scheme. INTERPOL, the International Criminal Police Organization based in France, alerted the French authorities about the possible corruption scheme and the bribes taking place in Moldova. Eurojust’s support was instrumental in ensuring that French and Moldovan authorities were able to work together rapidly.

A joint investigation team was set up at Eurojust between French and Moldovan authorities during a coordination meeting at the Agency. This enabled the authorities to exchange information and evidence, determine the judicial strategy and carry out joint operations. Authorities from the United Kingdom supported the operation by providing important information on the suspects after linking the operation to a separate investigation into an international cybercrime network.

On 4 June, an action day took place in Moldova, during wich search warrants were executed for 12 persons in 33 locations. Mobile phones, laptops, computers and other items and documents were seized during the operation, which received grants from Eurojust’s funding programme for joint investigation teams. Four people were detained for up to 72 hours. On 5 June, a high-level official was arrested for 30 days at the request of the Moldovan prosecutor.

The operation was carried out by the following authorities:

  • France: National Financial Prosecutor’s Office; OCLCIFF (Central Anti-Corruption Office within the French National Police)
  • Moldova: Anti-corruption Prosecution Office
  • United Kingdom: National Crime Agency
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Crackdown on criminal network that used minors and women for street begging in Portugal

Source: Eurojust

Supported by Eurojust and Europol, judicial and law enforcement authorities in Portugal and Romania have dismantled an organised crime group involved in human trafficking, qualified fraud and money laundering. The suspects allegedly transported Romanian citizens, mostly minors and women, to Portugal and used them to beg for a fictitious association, posing as deaf-mute children and young people.

The criminal network is believed to have made a profit of over EUR 230,000 from this criminal activity.

During a joint action on 11-14 March, the Portuguese and Romanian authorities carried out six house searches, interrogated three defendants and interviewed five witnesses in Romania. Eight more suspects were interrogated in the weeks following the operation. At least thirty victims were identified and brought to safety.

Eurojust assisted the Portuguese and Romanian authorities in setting up and funding a joint investigation team into the case in April 2023. The Agency organised and hosted two coordination meetings to facilitate judicial cooperation and prepare for the joint action.

Europol facilitated the exchange of information between the different law enforcement authorities involved.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • Portugal: Porto Public Prosecution Office; Porto Public Security Police
  • Romania: Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism – Central Structure (PPO); Service for Combating Organised Crime Ialomita (police)
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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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Eight arrested in international operation against human trafficking supported by Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

With the support of Eurojust and Europol, authorities in Belgium and Hungary have taken action against an organised crime group involved in the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation. During a joint action, eight suspects were arrested in both countries. Several victims have been identified and brought to safety. Eurojust assisted the authorities in setting up and funding a joint investigation team (JIT) into the case.

During an international operation carried out on 20 February, eight suspects were arrested: six in Belgium and two in Hungary. The police seized 15 luxury vehicles, around EUR 34,000 in cash and EUR 9,500 in gold and silver during the searches in Belgium. In Hungary, a luxury vehicle, EUR 6,000 in cash and four wristwatches were seized.

The case was opened by Eurojust in February 2023 at the request of the Belgian authorities. A JIT was set up between the Belgian and Hungarian authorities with the support of Eurojust in May 2023. One coordination meeting was hosted by the Agency to facilitate judicial cooperation.

Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided support during the investigation. Europol also provided operational analysis, operational intelligence and coordinated operational activities. During the action day, Europol deployed two Europol experts to Belgium and one to Hungary to provide analytical and technical support to the national authorities.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • Belgium: Prosecution Office of West-Flanders; Investigating judge West-Flanders, section Bruges; Local police Ostend
  • Hungary: Metropolitan Public Prosecutor’s Office; Hungarian National Bureau of Investigation
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Over 100 searches and four arrests in Latvia, Germany, France, Italy and Malta against financial institution involved in money laundering

Source: Eurojust

National authorities in Latvia, Germany, France, Italy and Malta have carried out over 100 searches in a large-scale operation against a Russian-Eurasian criminal network and a Maltese-based financial institution allegedly involved in money-laundering services. Four suspects were detained during an action day supported by Eurojust and Europol. Potential suspects and witnesses were also interviewed in Latvia, Germany, Estonia and Malta.

During the actions, over 460 police officers were deployed to carry out the searches. Germany also deployed four officers to support the investigations and searches in Latvia and Malta. In addition to the arrests, various bank accounts and properties were seized.

The Maltese financial institution laundered at least EUR 4.5 million in proceedings from criminal activities since end of 2015. The total sum of laundered money could amount to tens of millions of euros. The financial institution and organised crime group (OCG) behind it offered money-laundering services via a network of fake enterprises and individuals who were registered directors, without performing any real business activities.

The OCG operated mainly from Riga and Berlin. Investigations were initiated in 2021 by the Latvian authorities after they noticed unusual money transfers from Latvia to the Maltese financial institution. Simultaneously, the German authorities had started investigations into suspicious money flows involving the same financial institution.

Eurojust supported today’s concerted action by setting up a coordination centre and establishing and funding a joint investigation team between the German and Latvian authorities. The Agency also organised five dedicated coordination meetings to prepare for the action day and assisted with the execution of European Investigation Orders in the countries involved.

On the action day, Europol deployed a money laundering expert to Latvia and set up a mobile office at Eurojust’s coordination centre to support the operation. Since December 2021, Europol has been supporting the investigation by providing operational and financial analysis and operational expertise. The Agency also supported the joint investigation team and provided financial support to the case.

Today’s operations were carried out by the following authorities:

  • Latvia: Rīga Northern Prosecution Office; Rīga Judicial Region Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of the Economic Crime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
  • Germany: Public Prosecutor‘s Office Berlin (Staatsanwaltschaft Berlin); State Office of Criminal Investigations Berlin (Landeskriminalamt Berlin)
  • Estonia: Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Estonia and Estonian Police and Border Guard Board
  • France: Public Prosecutor’s Office and Investigative Judge – Judicial Court of Nice; National Police (DIPN) Alpes-Maritimes Division (Judicial Police Nice; Research and Intervention Brigade; Financial Brigade) – Border Police
  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office Rome; Guardia di Finanza, Financial Police Unit Rome (Nucleo Polizia Economica e Finanziaria di Roma)
  • Malta: Financial Crimes Investigations Department and Asset Recovery Bureau of the Malta Police