Category: Switzerland

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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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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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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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Eurojust supports authorities in dismantling EUR 113 million fraudulent investment scheme

Source: Eurojust

A fraudulent pyramid scheme was taken down by authorities from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czechia, Lithuania and Liechtenstein, with the support of Eurojust and Europol. The organised crime group (OCG) used an investment model that focused on the leasing and subleasing of cryptocurrency machines, such as exchange machines and hardware for mining. The suspects were able to target thousands of victims, causing losses of up to EUR 113 million. During an action day on 11 June, six arrests were made, 29 searches were conducted and the suspects’ assets were frozen.

The advertised investment concept involved the leasing of cryptocurrency products, such as investments in server storage for internet cloud services and the subleasing of crypto exchange machines. The suspects promised returns of 70% before tax to those joining the scheme. Investigations by German authorities showed that the promised returns were not only unrealistic, but also impossible, as the leased equipment and systems allegedly did not exist.

As the promised investment scheme did not exist as advertised, the suspects created a pyramid scheme, where most of the revenue for earlier investors came from more recent investors. The funds collected were not used for the promised investments, but mainly for the suspects’ living expenses. Throughout the scheme, the suspects concluded thousands of contracts, earning up to EUR 113 million.

As soon as the fraudulent scheme was discovered by German authorities, two coordination meetings were held at Eurojust to exchange information and evidence with authorities from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czechia, Lithuania and Liechtenstein. To ensure a continued smooth cooperation, a joint investigation team (JIT) between German and Swiss authorities was set up with the support of Eurojust.

The cooperation between authorities resulted in an action day on 11 June, with the involvement of over 280 officers on the ground. The actions resulted in six arrests, 29 searches, the seizing of evidence, and the freezing of several assets. Due to the coordination between the authorities, and the use of Eurojust’s facilities, simultaneous actions were carried out in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czechia, Lithuania and Liechtenstein.

The following authorities were involved in the operation:

  • Germany: Public Prosecutor`s Office Erfurt, Criminal State Investigation Office Thuringia
  • Switzerland: Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Canton of Zurich
  • Austria: Central Public Prosecutor`s Office for Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption
  • Czechia: Municipal Public Prosecutor´s Office in Prague; Regional Directorate of Police of the Capital City of Prague
  • Lithuania: Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office
  • Liechtenstein: Princely Court of Justice of Liechtenstein
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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 supports international operation against world’s largest ransomware group

Source: Eurojust

In a coordinated action supported by Eurojust and Europol, judicial and law enforcement authorities from 10 different countries have severely disrupted LockBit, the world’s most active ransomware operation. Two members of the ransomware team have been arrested in Poland and Ukraine. In addition, law enforcement has compromised LockBit’s primary platform and other enabling infrastructure. This includes the takedown of 34 servers in the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, France, Switzerland, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

LockBit first emerged at the end of 2019, initially calling itself ‘ABCD’ ransomware. Since then, it has grown rapidly and by 2022 had become the most deployed ransomware variant worldwide. LockBit attacks are believed to have affected over 2,500 victims all over the world.

The group is a ‘ransomware-as-a-service’ operation, meaning that a core team creates its malware and runs its website, while licensing out its code to affiliates who launch attacks.

The joint action enabled the various police forces to take control of much of the infrastructure that enables the LockBit ransomware to operate, including the darknet, and, in particular, the ‘wall of shame’ used to publish the data of victims who refused to pay the ransom. This action has disrupted the network’s ability to operate.

Authorities have also frozen more than 200 cryptocurrency accounts linked to the criminal organisation.

This international operation follows a complex investigation led by the UK National Crime Agency. Supported by Eurojust and Europol, law enforcement from nine other countries worked in close partnership with the National Crime Agency on this case, including authorities in France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United States, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and Japan.

The case was opened at Eurojust in April 2022 at the request of the French authorities. Five coordination meetings were hosted by the Agency to facilitate judicial cooperation and to prepare for the joint action.

Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) organised 27 operational meetings, and 4 technical 1-week sprints to develop the investigative leads in preparation of the final phase of the investigation. Europol also provided analytical, crypto-tracing and forensic support. In addition, three Europol experts were deployed to the command post in London during the action phase.

With Europol’s support, the Japanese Police, the National Crime Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation pooled their technical expertise to develop decryption tools designed to recover files encrypted by the LockBit ransomware. These solutions have been made available free of charge on the ‘No More Ransom’ portal, which is available in 37 languages. So far, more than 6 million victim across the globe have benefited from No More Ransom, which contains over 120 solutions capable of decrypting more than 150 different types of ransomware.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • United Kingdom: National Crime Agency, South West Regional Organised Crime Unit
  • United States: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark
  • France: JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction against Organised Crime) Public Prosecutor’s Office Paris Cybercrime Unit – C3N (cyber unit); Gendarmerie Nationale
  • Germany: Central Cybercrime Department North Rhine-Westphalia (CCD), State Bureau of Criminal Investigation Schleswig-Holstein (LKA Schleswig-Holstein), Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt)
  • Sweden: Swedish Cybercrime Centre, Swedish Prosecution Authority
  • The Netherlands: National Police (Team Cybercrime Zeeland-West-Brabant, Team Cybercrime Oost-Brabant, Team High Tech Crime); Public Prosecutor’s Office Zeeland-West-Brabant
  • Australia: Australian Federal Police
  • Canada: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Japan: National Police Agency
  • Switzerland: Zurich Cantonal Police; Public Prosecutor’s Office II of the Canton of Zurich