Category: Latvia

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Network of luxury car thieves dismantled with support of Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

A large-scale ring of luxury car thieves has been dismantled with the support of Eurojust and Europol. Using straw men and underprivileged people, the criminals hired or leased luxury vehicles, which they later registered in their own names through corrupt connections in official institutions.

The cars were resold outside the EU, including in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. In a series of recent coordinated actions in Spain, France, Germany, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine, 13 suspects were arrested for fraud, forgery and money laundering.

© – Ukrainian National Police

Through a coordination centre at Eurojust, over sixty places were also searched by national authorities. Several luxury vehicles, communication equipment and documents were seized, as well as over EUR 100 000 in cash.

The Spanish authorities launched their investigation in 2022 following reports of luxury cars going missing from legitimately operating car rental and lease companies in and around Malaga. These investigations revealed that dozens of vehicles were ultimately stolen across Europe by a network of linked criminals. They exploited around fifty vulnerable and underprivileged people by using their documents, such as driving licences and passports, to hire or lease luxury cars.

Through corrupt contacts in official institutions, they managed to register the hired vehicles on to their personal documents, so they could sell them in the European Union and beyond, including Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. Some of the stolen vehicles were transported in containers to conceal the cars.

Investigations were later also started in France, Poland and Ukraine, which revealed links between different criminal groups using the same modus operandi. In March of this year, with the support and funding of Eurojust, authorities in France, Spain and Ukraine set up a joint investigation team into the car thefts. Eurojust also organised two preparatory coordination meetings to prepare for the recent action day week and set up the coordination centre.

Europol assisted the operations against the criminal network by producing criminal intelligence packages. It also provided an operational coordination centre to support the actions at police level.

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

  • Spain: Investigative Court no. 1, Málaga; Public Prosecutor’s Office, Málaga; Spanish National Police
  • France: Judiciary Tribunal, Grasse; National Gendarmerie, Central Office against Roving Crime (OCDLI)
  • Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Offices Essen and Osnabrück; Police Departments of Essen and Osnabrück
  • Latvia: 3rd Unit International Cooperation Department State Police
  • Poland: Public Prosecutor’s Office, Warsaw
  • Ukraine: Prosecutor General’s Office; Main Investigation Department and Department of Strategic Investigations of National Police
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Crackdown on criminal network that stole 170 historical books worth EUR 2.5 million across Europe

Source: Eurojust

Eurojust and Europol have supported the competent authorities in Lithuania, France, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland and Georgia in an international operation against an organised crime group (OCG) that allegedly stole 170 books of high historical and cultural value across several European countries. The stolen books have an estimated value of EUR 2.5 million and were written by well-known Russian novelists such as Pushkin, Gogol and Lermontov.

Eurojust assisted the authorities in coordinating the actions and in setting up and funding a joint investigation team (JIT) into the case.

The perpetrators, of Georgian origin, are believed to have committed robberies in libraries located in France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Switzerland.

The OCG used different modus operandi to steal the books. In some cases, the OCG members used fake identities when ordering books in the libraries, for example presenting themselves as researchers. While one OCG member pretended to consult with the library staff, thereby distracting security, another replaced the original valuable book with a copy.

In other cases, the perpetrators simply broke into the library and stole the books. Before committing the thefts, they visited libraries and checked out books of the same type as the ones stolen.

Eurojust has supported the case since November 2023, assisting the authorities involved in the coordination of their investigations and in the determination of legal strategies. Three coordination meetings were hosted by the Agency to bring together all judicial authorities involved, in order to facilitate their judicial cooperation, and to prepare for the joint action. The Agency also facilitated the setting up of a JIT between France, Lithuania, Poland, Georgia and Switzerland in March 2024. Europol was also a participant in the JIT.

During the action day, a coordination centre was set up at Eurojust connecting simultaneously the different teams in the field in the countries where operations were taking place. The coordination centre enabled rapid cooperation and ensured that evidence and information collected were swiftly exchanged between all national authorities involved.

The coordinated operations led to the arrest of four suspects in Georgia. A total of 27 locations were searched in Georgia and Latvia. One stolen book was recovered and many other books, which have to be examined further, were also seized. Ten witnesses were interviewed and over a hundred police officers and prosecutors were involved in the operation.

With reports of rare and historical books being stolen across Europe, Europol facilitated the information exchange between the affected countries and helped to identify the main suspects. Europol’s analysis during this case helped to create links, identify leads and even uncover a theft that had not yet been discovered. Before supporting the action day, Europol held two operational meetings in its headquarters.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • Estonia: Estonian Prosecutor´s Office; Police and Border Guard Board
  • France: Court of Paris, OCBC (Central Office against Cultural Goods Trafficking)
  • Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Munich I, Public Prosecutor’s Office Berlin, Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (BLKA, Division 622), Berlin State Criminal Police Office
  • Latvia: International cooperation Division of the Prosecutor General’s Office; International Cooperation Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police; Criminal police bureau of the Riga Regional Department of the State Police
  • Lithuania: Vilnius Regional PPO, Vilnius County Police Headquarters
  • Poland: Circuit Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw
  • Switzerland: Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic and Canton of Geneva; Cantonal police of the Republic and Canton of Geneva
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Eurojust helps tackle massive fraud of EUR 645 million with medicinal cannabis plants across Europe

Source: Eurojust

In Germany, France and Spain alone, over 4 500 victims have lodged formal complaints against the fraudsters, who set up a crowd-funding programme to raise a minimum of EUR 50 per investor for the development of medicinal cannabis plants. In reality, no cannabis plants were ever bought, although the organisers of the scheme pretended to work with legitimate and licensed enterprises that would cultivate them. The fraud ran from at least January 2020 to July 2022.

The entire scheme had the character of a pyramid or ‘Ponzi fraud’ and promised extremely high returns on investment. Investigations in Germany and Spain, later followed by counterparts in other countries across Europe, showed that investors had been only partially paid.

Most of the invested money was used to pay affiliates, keep the scheme running and expand the fraud through extensive online campaigns. For this purpose and to launder the proceeds, a web of international enterprises was used. The scheme itself appears to have been run by a Russian criminal network, with an affiliated German-based crime group.

Victims in Germany and Spain claim to have lost at least EUR 51.5 million, but the total investment is estimated to be close to EUR 645 million. In total, around 550 000 participants worldwide were registered as online investors, most of them European citizens. Around 186 000 participants transferred funds, either via cryptocurrencies or bank transfers.

Since 2022, Eurojust has been extensively supporting the national authorities, including assisting the German, Spanish and French authorities in setting up and funding the JIT. This led to a successful Joint Action Day coordinated at Eurojust.

At the request of the German and Spanish authorities, in recent days operational actions against the criminal networks were also carried out in Estonia, Latvia, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic. The French authorities made a decisive contribution to the analysis of crypto flows during the investigations and took part in searches in Germany and Spain on the action day.

Europol supported this massive cross-border investigation from the outset, taking the lead in operational coordination and providing tailored analytical support. Furthermore, Europol shared results of the financial investigations as well as other intelligence with the involved countries. On the action day, Europol deployed officers with mobile offices to various locations worldwide.

During the action days, over thirty places were also searched and for several millions of Euros in crypto assets and bank accounts were frozen. Also real estate properties, luxury vehicles, artwork, cash and various luxury items were seized, as well as large numbers of electronic devices and documents.

The operations were carried out on the ground at request of and by:

  • Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Berlin; Criminal Investigation Department Berlin (LKA)
  • Spain: Central Investigative Judge no. 6 at the Audiencia Nacional; National Police (Policia Nacional – UDEF Central Brigade against Economic Crime, Financial Fraud Group)
  • France: Paris’ Prosecutor’s Office JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction against Organised Crime); Gendarmerie Nationale (Research Section Rennes)
  • Estonia: Office of the Prosecutor General; Police and Border Guard Board
  • Latvia: Prosecutor General’s Office; International Cooperation Department and Economic Crime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
  • Italy: Postal Police Service of the National Police – Operational Section for Cyber Security, Macerata, and Operational Centre for Cybersecurity of Marche
  • Malta: Malta Police Force – International Relations Unit
  • Poland: Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Jelenia Góra, Lublin, Warsaw, Warsaw Praga and Wrocław; Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime
  • Portugal: Central Public Prosecutor’s Office Lisbon (DCIAP); Judicial Police (Policia Judiciária)United Kingdom: National Crime Agency
  • United Kingdom: National Crime Agency
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Full-scale action against EUR 2 billion money laundering network via Lithuanian financial institution

Source: Eurojust

During an action day on 27 February, around 250 judicial representatives and law enforcement officers were active on the ground. In total 18 persons have been arrested, including the three main suspects. In total 55 places were searched and over EUR 11.5 million in assets and bank accounts have been frozen. Eurojust and Europol played pivotal roles in facilitating and coordinating the international activities.

The financial institution offered money laundering as a service to thousands of criminals across the EU, by making fictitious financial transactions via the web of enterprises, which were run by strawmen. It advertised its alleged consultancy services online and was set up in Lithuania in 2016 by an Italian-based OCG.

The financial institution was led by the two main suspects, who resided in Lithuania and Latvia. The OCG laundered the proceedings of a range of criminal activities, including tax evasion, cyber fraud, fake bankruptcy and organised crime such as drug trafficking. Part of the proceeds were injected into the Latvian and Lithuanian economies via the purchase of real estate and luxury vehicles.

The laundered money included the EUR 15 million from unlawfully obtained so-called building bonuses, provided by the Italian national authorities. These bonuses were given for renovation and insulation works and other energy-saving measures of existing buildings. In reality, no repairs took place, the applicants were not the owners or the buildings did not even exist. The main perpetrator of this fraud was a practising tax consultant, who arranged the awarding of bonuses for 72 other individuals who were aware of the abuse.

Investigations into the OCG were initiated in 2021 by the Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Naples and Lecce in Italy, involving their counterparts in Latvia and Lithuania in 2022 via Eurojust.

In 2022, the financial and judicial authorities in Lithuania already closed down the electronic payment institution. Its banking licence was revoked and bankruptcy procedures were started for non-compliance with money laundering prevention regulations. A rapid reaction of Latvian and Lithuanian authorities to reports on suspicious transactions led to the identification and freezing of millions in funds, real estate properties and luxury vehicles, which now can be confiscated.

During the same year, Eurojust supported the setting up and funding of a joint investigation team between all national authorities involved. Eurojust also set up a coordination centre to support the simultaneous actions in the three countries.

urthermore, Eurojust organised eight coordination meetings to prepare for the simultaneous actions of the Italian, Latvian and Lithuanian authorities. These preparations also prevented potential conflicts of jurisdiction. Eurojust has also already facilitated the restitution to Italy of over EUR 3 million of the illegally obtained public funds, which have been frozen by the Lithuanian authorities.

Europol has been supporting the case since January 2022, working closely with the national investigators to uncover the magnitude and complexity of the activities carried out by the OCG. During the action day, two Europol experts were deployed to Latvia to support the authorities with their investigative measures. A third Europol specialist was deployed to the coordination centre at Eurojust, with an analyst on hand at Europol’s headquarters to handle the contributions shared via Europol’s secure communication channels.

The operations against the OCG are the result of long-term intensive cooperation across Europe of the three countries involved. Eurojust Vice-President and National Member for Lithuania, Ms Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė, acting National Member for Italy, Mr Aldo Ingangi, and National Member for Latvia, Ms Dagmāra Skudra, jointly stated: This collaboration really shows the importance of a well-coordinated and prepared approach across Europe. It is a clear example of the role Eurojust plays in transnational judicial cooperation and shows criminal networks, such as the one we tackled, that we know no borders either. We will continue to work closely together to get justice done and take on fraud involving public funds.

The actions in the three countries were carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:

  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Naples and Lecce; Guardia di Finanza of Naples and Lecce
  • Latvia: Prosecutor General’s Office, Rīga Judicial Region Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of the Economic Crime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
  • Lithuania: Vilnius Regional Public Prosecutor’s Office; Vilnius County Police Headquarters
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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
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15 arrested for arranging 133 sham marriages in Cyprus

Source: Eurojust

Judicial and law enforcement authorities in Cyprus, Portugal and Latvia have dismantled a criminal network suspected of organising 133 sham marriages in Cyprus to facilitate illegal immigration into the European Union. During a joint action day carried out on 29 January, 15 suspects were arrested: 13 in Cyprus, 1 in Latvia and 1 in Portugal.

According to the investigations, the criminal network was also involved in human trafficking and money laundering activities, as well as forcing victims into bogus marriages for immigration purposes.

The suspects allegedly recruited Latvian and Portuguese women and facilitated their journeys to Cyprus, where they entered into arranged marriages with third-country nationals. The suspects arranged all of the logistics, including the purchase of flight tickets and the acquisition of passports and other required documents.

The marriages enabled the non-EU nationals to obtain residence permits from third countries, which they then used to travel to other European countries.

A total of nine cases have been opened at Eurojust since 2022 for the facilitation of execution of European Investigation Orders and European Arrest Warrants linked to this investigation. The Agency organised two dedicated coordination meetings and facilitated the judicial cooperation between the authorities involved during the action day.

Europol’s Operational Task Force (OTF) Limassol was set up to facilitate the joint efforts of Cyprus, Latvia and Portugal to dismantle this criminal network. Europol supported this OTF by facilitating information exchanges, coordinating and financing operational activities and providing tailored operational analytical support. During the action day, Europol supported the field activities by crosschecking the operational information collected in real time.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • Cyprus: Law Office of Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus Police
  • Latvia: Prosecutor General’s Office, State Police of Latvia
  • Portugal: Lisbon Public Prosecution Office, Judicial Police
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Support to Dutch action against violation of export sanctions to Russia: three arrests

Source: Eurojust

Eurojust and Europol have supported a coordinated action of the Dutch, German, Latvian, Lithuanian and Canadian authorities against the alleged violation of export sanctions to Russia. During a joint action day, three suspects were arrested and 14 places searched in view of investigations into the illegal export of technological and laboratory equipment, which could be used for military purposes. Such exports are illegal due to the EU-wide sanctions, which were imposed after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

The arrested persons are suspected of being part of an international smuggling network. The physical and digital administration of a Dutch-registered enterprise has been seized, in addition to the enterprise’s bank account and communication tools.

Investigations into the case were initiated at the end of 2023 by the Dutch authorities and led to the uncovering of a web of enterprises, which were used to circumvent the ban on exports to Russia. These enterprises were centred around a Dutch-registered trading company, which was set up in 2017 for the import, export and sales of electro-technical and laboratory equipment, among other goods.

Two of the suspects were administrators of the main trading company. The third suspect is an employee of an external contractor, who is alleged to have been aware of the violation of the export ban. The trading company in question is now run by an administrator in Russia, who is also the sole shareholder.

Eurojust enabled the cross-border judicial cooperation and organised a coordination meeting to prepare for the joint actions, at request of the Dutch authorities. It also set up a coordination centre during the action day, which was held on 9 January.

Europol has been supporting the investigation by providing analytical support, as well as conducting cross-checks on the gathered data.

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

  • The Netherlands: National Prosecution Office for Serious Fraud, Environmental Crime and Asset Confiscation (Functioneel Parket); Investigation Service for Financial and Tax Crime (Fiscale Inlichtingen- en Opsporingsdienst, FIOD)
  • Germany: Public Prosecutor`s Offices of Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Krefeld; Customs Investigation Service (ZFD) with offices in Berlin, Essen and Hamburg
  • Latvia: Prosecutor General’s Office; State Security Service
  • Lithuania: Vilnius Regional Public Prosecutor’s Office, Customs Criminal Service