Category: Eurojust

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Three Belarusian nationals charged for forcing Polish plane to land to arrest dissident

Source: Eurojust

Belarusian air traffic controllers forced the aircraft to divert from its route to Vilnius by providing false information about an alleged explosive device, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing at Minsk airport. After the aircraft landed in Minsk, the passengers were evacuated and their luggage was searched.

During the evacuation, two passengers, a Belarusian dissident and his companion, were arrested by officials. Investigations into the incident revealed that these arrests were the real reason the flight was diverted to Minsk.

Immediately after the incident, investigations were launched by the Polish and Lithuanian authorities. With the support of Eurojust, a joint investigation team (JIT) team was set up, which interviewed a number of witnesses, including passengers and the crew of the aircraft, and secured recordings and photographs taken during the incident.

The unprecedented nature of the case called for very close cooperation between multiple countries. Eurojust organised several coordination meetings and facilitated the execution of European Investigation Orders in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania to secure evidence and the requests for legal assistance in Switzerland, Norway and the United States.

Witnesses testified that air traffic controllers were informed of the false bomb threat by their superiors. The air traffic controllers were then instructed by Belarusian officials on what action to take and what information to pass on to the pilots of the aircraft.

The cooperation of the authorities led to the issuing of arrest warrants for three Belarusian nationals. The suspects are charged with unlawfully depriving 132 people of their liberty through terrorist acts and intending to seriously intimidate numerous people, including groups opposed to the Belarusian regime. Detention on remand for three months is imposed on all suspects.

The following authorities were involved in the actions:

  • Lithuania: Department for Organised Crime and Corruption Investigation at the Prosecutor General’s Office, Criminal Police Bureau
  • Poland: Mazovian Division of the Department for Organised Crime and Corruption of the National Public Prosecutor’s Office; Internal Security Agency
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Find Eurojust in the European Pavilion at the World Port Days in Rotterdam

Source: Eurojust

From 6-8 September 2024, you can find Eurojust at the 47th annual World Port Days event in Rotterdam.

Ports are key gateways that connect Europe with the rest of the world. Each year, more than 90 million containers enter the 3 main EU ports – Antwerp, Hamburg and Rotterdam. They are essential hubs for economic growth and prosperity, and create many labour opportunities.

At World Port Days event, thousands of visitors are invited to discover the port of Rotterdam. The programme includes special ships, exciting excursions, spectacles on the water and the European Pavilion: the primary destination for anyone interested in learning about the various benefits and initiatives of the European Union in the Netherlands.

The European Pavilion, created by the European Commission Representation in the Netherlands and Kansen voor West, will bring together agencies and projects that are based in the Netherlands and financed through the EU budget. This includes the three EU Agencies headquartered in the Netherlands: Eurojust, Europol and the European Medicines Agency.

Security & Ports

In recent years, criminals have infiltrated Europe’s ports to organise the passage of illegal goods into the EU. This includes drugs trafficking, one of the most serious security threats faced by Europe today. Recent statistics show that nearly 70% of drugs seizures made by customs takes place in Europe’s ports.

With 20 years of experience, Eurojust knows what it takes to bring international drug smugglers to justice. We support more cross-border drug trafficking cases every year: 2500 in 2023 alone, which resulted in €25.6 billion worth of drugs seized. Eurojust is also a member of the European Ports Alliance, which aims to improve security in all EU ports.

Ask A Prosecutor

Interesting in learning more about how Eurojust works with prosecutors from across the EU to combat crime and get justice done? On Friday morning, our National Member from the Netherlands, Mr. Alexander van Dam, will be at our stand in the European Pavilion to answer all of your questions.

Additional information and the full programme of activities can be found here: https://wereldhavendagen.nl/

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Mr Philip Schotland starts as new Swiss Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

Upon taking up his new role, Mr Schotland stated: ‘It’s a great honour to be appointed Liaison Prosecutor and thus be able to contribute the experience I have already built up in the Swiss bureau at Eurojust. This also shows the importance my national authorities attach to maintaining continuity in combating cross-border crime.’

The new Liaison Prosecutor joined the Swiss Federal Office of Justice in June 2022, starting as deputy at Eurojust a month later that same year. Previously, he worked as a public prosecutor in the canton of Basel-City and as an assistant as of 2015. In this capacity, he specialised in serious crimes and investigations into organised crime groups, drawing on his experience in cross-border judicial cooperation.

Mr Schotland graduated as a Master of Law from Basel University in 2012 and did his bar exam in 2014. The Netherlands is familiar territory to the new Liaison Prosecutor, as he completed an internship at the Swiss embassy in The Hague after his graduation in 2012. Following this experience, Mr Schotland was a trainee at a private law company and at the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Basel, before becoming an assistant there.

The new Liaison Prosecutor speaks German, French and English. He is also attached to the office of the Swiss Armed Forces Attorney General, in the rank of major.

Switzerland is one of the twelve countries* outside the European Union that have a Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust, based on a Cooperation Agreement. Liaison Prosecutors represent their national judicial authorities and can open requests for cross-border cooperation with EU Member States and vice versa.

*The following other third countries have Liaison Prosecutors at Eurojust: Albania, Georgia, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States

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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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Eurojust supports large-scale anti-mafia operation leading to arrest and freezing of EUR 50 million

Source: Eurojust

To support other major mafia families, the OCG was involved in various criminal activities, including extortion, money laundering and the fraudulent transfer of valuables. An integrated network of financial professionals in Italy and around the world helped the OCG to invest its profits in companies in Italy, including a well-known hotel.

In 2016, the suspects moved their activities to Brazil to support another Italian criminal and launder more of their profits. The money arrived in Brazil through multiple transit bank accounts and with the support of their network of financial professionals in Italy.

One of the main members of the mafia family moved to Natal, Brazil, to start several companies using straw men and shell companies. Most of the companies were involved in large real estate and construction projects, such as a building site near the northeastern coast of Brazil. As these real estate projects were guaranteed to generate exceptionally high profits, it was easy for the OCG to hide their criminal gains. The total assets of the family are estimated at over EUR 500 million.

The Italian and Brazilian authorities have been investigating the activities of the OCG since 2022 through a joint investigation team (JIT), set up with the support of Eurojust. Their investigations uncovered the activities of the OCG in Switzerland. Through Eurojust, the Swiss authorities were involved in the JIT’s investigations.

On 13 August, a large coordinated operation took place in Italy, Switzerland and Brazil, with support from Eurojust. In Italy, 21 searches were carried out at the homes of the OCG members and the offices of their companies. A suspect was arrested in Brazil and financial assets worth EUR 50 million euros belonging to 17 individuals (all under investigation) were seized, as well as 12 companies involved in the real estate, construction and hospitality sectors. In Switzerland, the house of an Italian businessman was searched.

The following authorities were involved in the actions:

  • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Palermo – District Antimafia Directorate; Guardia di Finanza – G.I.C.O. (Organized Crime Investigative Group) of Palermo
  • Brazil: Federal Prosecutor’s Office of Rio Grande do Norte
  • Switzerland: Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland; Federal Office of Police fedpol
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Financial scammers detained following actions coordinated by Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

The OCG started their scam by posting false advertisements on the internet that promoted an investment plan that would lead to secure, quick and substantial earnings in virtual currencies. To ensure the credibility of the advertisements, pictures of well-known people, logos of banks and specialised economic publications were added.

People clicking on the advertisement were led to a fake investment platform where the victims would fill in their personal information. To obtain even more personal data, the scammers, posing as financial actors, called their victims to gain access to their bank accounts. With access to the bank accounts, the group transferred sums of money and took over the possession of the victim’s virtual currencies. Through this scam, the OCG was able to gain approximately EUR 3 million.

Investigations into the scam started after victims in Romania reached out to the authorities. This resulted in the uncovering of an organised crime group in Moldova that was responsible for the scam. Investigations continued at Eurojust, where the Romanian and Moldovan authorities set up a joint investigation team (JIT) to work together quickly and efficiently to stop the OCG.

The coordinated actions led to an action day on 7 August during which 19 house searches were conducted in Moldova and evidence such as computers, data storage units, weapons and ammunition, and documents were seized. Moldovan authorities ordered the preventive detention of 12 suspects.

Europol supported the action day by setting up a virtual command post to coordinate the operational activities, providing live cryptoanalysis and cross-checks against Europol’s databases as the data was being collected in the field.

The following authorities were involved in the actions:

  • Romania: Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism – Central Structure
  • Moldova: Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases
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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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Sentences of over five years for Dutch criminals robbing ATMs in Germany

Source: Eurojust

Between November 2021 and January 2023 the OCG members used severe violence to blast ATMs and crowbars to pry them open, stealing an estimated EUR 3.4 million. The damages inflicted on the buildings, teller machines, their infrastructure and the bank’s surroundings amounted to well over EUR 4 million.

The gang members often stole fast cars to carry out the heists in Germany, which usually took place at night in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, before speeding back to the Netherlands. In each attack the OCG managed to steal up to EUR 250 000 in cash. The gang was highly organised, with a clear division of tasks, ranging from organising logistics to blasting open the ATMs.

At the request of the German authorities, Eurojust supported the investigations since May 2022.  The Agency organised two coordination meetings between the authorities involved and facilitated a joint action day in early 2023. In total, sixteen suspects were arrested in the Netherlands between January and September 2023, who were later surrendered to Germany. The Agency also supported the procedures for the surrender of the suspects.

In total, an estimated hundred hauls on German ATMs took place. For thirty cases the suspects were charged. Following plea bargains with the German Public Prosecution Office, fifteen suspects have now been sentenced, two on probation. One defendant is still on trial.

The following authorities conducted and/or supported the investigations:

  • Germany: Public Prosecution Office Bamberg; State Criminal Police Office of Bavaria and State Criminal Police Office of Baden-Württemberg
  • The Netherlands: Public Prosecution Office Central Netherlands/Utrecht; National Police
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Launch of the new phase of the EuroMed Justice project

Source: Eurojust

Today’s conference marked the official start of the Project’s 6th phase, which has a budget of EUR 6 million and a duration of four years. In addition to the delegations from the South Partner countries and EU Member States, the conference was attended by representatives of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations and the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, as well as representatives from EU Agencies and international organisations.

EMJ VI will continue to develop its sustainable cooperation mechanisms for cross-border judicial cooperation in criminal matters, consolidate relationships and mutual trust for efficient responses to judicial cooperation issues. It will enhance capacities of South Partner Countries to tackle serious and organised crime through efficient and effective international judicial cooperation.

EMJ VI will continue to support the strategic cooperation mechanism established in the previous phases of the project:

  1. EuroMed Justice Expert Group in Criminal Matters (CrimEx), which fosters the region’s ownership in the implementation of the project, builds trust and mutual confidence, and exchanges best practices and lessons learned
  2. EuroMed Prosecutors General Forum (PG Forum), which gives strategic direction and endorsement to the work of CrimEx, identifies prosecution-related challenges and recommends solutions.

It will also strengthen the EuroMed Justice Network (EMJNet): a cross-Mediterranean network of practitioners designed to strengthen contacts and operational cooperation between criminal justice authorities from South Partner Countries and EU Member States. Eurojust will support the EMJ project by sharing expertise and best practices from the agency and EU Member States on how to use tools and instruments on judicial cooperation. It will also support Commission-led negotiations of international agreements between Eurojust and South Partner Countries.

About the EuroMed Justice Project

Funded by the European Union, EuroMed Justice aims to strengthen the strategic and operational cooperation in judicial criminal matters between South Partner Countries and European Union (EU) Member States. Its long-term objective is to contribute to the development of safer societies as well as to contribute to the protection of citizens in SPCs and EU MS against criminal activities, with due respect for the rule of law, and human and fundamental rights. It has been implemented by Eurojust since 2020.

More information on the EMJ Project and its implementation can be found in this leaflet and on the EuroMed Justice webpage.

*This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

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Eurojust welcomes COEST delegation

Source: Eurojust

08 March 2024|

Today, 8 March, Eurojust welcomed a delegation from the European Council Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST). 

The delegation met with Eurojust experts, who presented the Agency’s work in response to the war in Ukraine. This included presentations on the Joint Investigation Team on war crimes, the Core International Crimes Evidence Database, and the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression. 

The meeting, which also included the participation of representatives from the European External Action Service, DG NEAR, and the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided an opportunity for the participants to gain insights and exchange best practices.