Category: Intelligence

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Europol and Eurojust launch phase 3 of SIRIUS project to enhance cross-border access to electronic evidence

Source: Eurojust

Phase 3 of the SIRIUS project will continue to assist LEAs, JAs, and service providers in navigating the increasingly complex legal framework. The project will continue to foster close cooperation between the public and private sectors, ensuring that criminal investigations are more effective and efficient in the digital age. The adoption of new EU-wide legislation, alongside key international agreements such as the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention, and the agreed draft text for a UN Convention on Cybercrime, are reshaping the legal and operational landscape surrounding electronic evidence.  In this challenging environment, SIRIUS has established itself as a centre of excellence in the field of cross-border access to electronic evidence in the EU. It offers a variety of services, such as guidelines, trainings and tools, to help with accessing data held by service providers.

To this day, SIRIUS serves a community of competent authorities from over 50 countries, representing all EU Member States and a growing number of third countries. It supports over 8 500 competent authorities and fosters collaboration with 220 service providers. With the upcoming implementation of new legal frameworks at EU and international level, Europol and Eurojust foresee to reinforce the success of the SIRIUS project with the expanded mission and diversified portfolio of activities, which will ensure seamless support to national LEAs and JAs during this critical transition.

The project’s activities will include the development of investigative tools, the organisation of high-impact events, and expanded capacity building to address urgent needs from LEAs and JAs. Additionally, the project will prepare LEAs and JAs to effectively use new instruments under the forthcoming EU Electronic Evidence legislative package, as well as other legislative changes concerning the cross-border acquisition of electronic evidence.

With its third phase, the SIRIUS project will also expand its geographical focus, strengthening cooperation with non-EU countries of particular importance for the implementation of the new legislation. This broadened approach will significantly contribute to the fight against all types of crime, with particular emphasis on organized crime and terrorism

By leveraging the expertise and established frameworks of Europol and Eurojust, SIRIUS project will smoothly transition into its next phase, ensuring that European LEAs and JAs stay at the forefront of innovation in criminal investigations involving electronic evidence.

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Europol and Eurojust launch Phase 3 of SIRIUS project

Source: Europol

Phase 3 of the SIRIUS project will continue to assist LEAs, JAs, and service providers in navigating the increasingly complex legal framework. The project will continue to foster close cooperation between the public and private sectors, ensuring that criminal investigations are more effective and efficient in the digital age. The adoption of new EU-wide legislation, alongside key international agreements such…

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Readout of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s Phone Call with Chair of the NATO Military Committee Adm. Rob Bauer

Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

January 14, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., yesterday spoke with Chair of the NATO Military Committee Adm. Rob Bauer by phone.

The military leaders discussed topics for the upcoming NATO Military Committee/Chiefs of Defense Session. Additionally, Gen. Brown congratulated Adm. Bauer for his successful tenure as Chair of the NATO Military Committee.

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to readiness and to continued operations to demonstrate the world’s strongest alliance remains ready and vigilant.

For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
Connect with the Joint Staff on social media: 
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LinkedIn and Flickr.

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INTERPOL operation highlights the human and environmental impact of illegal mining in Western Africa

Source: Interpol (news and events)

14 January 2025

Four-country operation seizes chemicals, explosives, drugs and pain relief medication used by illegal miners

LYON, France – An operation targeting illegal mining in Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea and Senegal has led to the arrest of 200 people.

Operation Sanu (July–October 2024) brought together experts from INTERPOL and national law enforcement agencies to combat illegal mining and associated crimes, with hundreds of officers deployed to identify criminal routes and modus operandi in remote and isolated areas of the four countries.

The cross-border collaboration led to the seizure of significant amounts of chemicals and equipment used in illegal mining: 150 kgs of cyanide, 325 kgs of active charcoal, 14 cylinders of mercury  with an estimated value of over USD 100,000, 20 litres of nitrite acid, and two 57-litre containers of sulfuric acid. 10 kilogramme of cocaine and almost 7,000 explosive devices were also seized.

Underlining the human cost of illegal mining, the operations team also seized large quantities of opioid pain relief tablets, commonly used by miners in the region to alleviate the pain caused by the use of chemicals such as mercury and cyanide in illicit small-scale gold mining. These chemicals can have serious toxic effects on the human nervous system.
 
The operation also gave INTERPOL and the law enforcement officers and prosecutors involved new insights into the wider damage caused by illegal mining in the region – from deforestation to landslides and the deviation of river flows leading to drought or flooding – as well as its impact on economies and communities in the region.

Criminal organizations in Guinea exploit children in illegal gold mines

Children working in an illegal gold mine in Guinea

INTERPOL officers supported law enforcement agencies in Guinea, Burkina Faso, the Gambia and Senegal

Chemicals used in illegal gold mining pollute local rivers and endanger public health

Illegal gold mines like this one in Guinea cause significant environmental damage

Operation Sanu also targeted illegal sand mines in the Gambia

Illegal sand-mining causes pollution and soil erosion and can change the course of rivers

Officers from several law enforcement agencies joined the operation, here in Senegal

Mercury worth over USD 100,000 was seized in Burkina Faso

INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said:

“Transnational criminal networks exploit mineral resources around the world, harming the environment, hurting national economies, weakening fragile communities, and endangering public health and safety. The operation’s success highlights the effectiveness of law enforcement when they join forces to tackle these threats.”

A first in the fight against illegal sand mining

Although the central focus of the operation was illegal gold mining, it also targeted illegal sand mining in the Gambia, with raids in several locations in the Kombo and south coastal belt region, leading to seven arrests and the seizure of mining equipment and trucks loaded with sand and gravel. The operation was a first for this type of action in the Gambia and was also an opportunity for the authorities to gain a clearer understanding of how illegal sand mining and trade is organized. Illegal sand mining has recorded unprecedented levels in recent years and is a major threat to the environment and to the livelihoods and living conditions of local communities.

Operation Sanu is part of a pilot project designed to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts to tackle the complex and multifaceted issues arising from illegal mining activities in Western and Central Africa.

Operation Sanu was carried out by INTERPOL’s Environmental Security Programme with funding by the United Kingdom’s Home Office.

Participating countries:  Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, Senegal

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Announcing the winners of the 2024 Europol photo competition

Source: Europol

Three awards were given out this year, each decided by a different group of voters:the international law enforcement community represented in our headquarters, the Heads of Communication of the European law enforcement authorities, and members of the public.We are happy to announce that Sergio Chicharro from Spain, Connie Maria Westergaard from Denmark a Capture two-time winner, and Sara Teixeira from…

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Readout of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s Phone Call with Singapore’s Chief of Defence Force Vice Adm. Aaron Beng

Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Public Affairs

January 13, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., spoke with Singapore’s Chief of Defence Force Vice Adm. Aaron Beng today by phone. Vice Adm. Beng last spoke with the Chairman during a visit to the Pentagon in October 2024.

Gen. Brown and Vice Adm. Beng discussed the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue 2025. They also discussed opportunities to address key issues in the Indo-Pacific region through bilateral and multilateral military engagements. Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to deterring aggression and strengthening interoperability in the region.

The critical relationship between the U.S. and Singapore plays a key role in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.

For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
Connect with the Joint Staff on social media: 
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LinkedIn and Flickr.

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Combatting major organised crime and human trafficking priorities for Polish EU Presidency

Source: Eurojust

In the field of justice and security, the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union will focus on combatting major cross-border criminal networks, hybrid threats, and terrorism and radicalisation. Particular attention will be paid to combat the trafficking of illicit drugs, human trafficking and migrant smuggling. 

Another priority is the protection of minors from exploitation, including sexual abuse. Efforts to ensure accountability for alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine will also be a major focus. Poland took up the Presidency on 1 January. 

Commenting on the Polish EU priorities for justice and security, National Member for Poland at Eurojust Mr Paweł Wąsik said: I am delighted and honoured to begin my term as the National Member for Poland at Eurojust, at the start of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is a significant challenge and opportunity. Given our commitment to the subject to date, it will not come as a surprise to anyone that in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, we will also prioritise supporting Ukraine’s security and justice sector, fostering greater coordination in addressing the crisis. Poland is committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens’ rights across Europe.

The focus on illicit drug trafficking and combatting organised crime is in line with the launch of the new European Judicial Organised Crime Network (EJOCN) in September 2024, hosted by Eurojust. The EJOCN brings together specialised prosecutors with the aim of taking a strategic approach to the fight against major organised crime networks, which increasingly operate on a global scale. The Polish Presidency can build on the groundwork laid in the preparation of the network and the initial activities of the EJOCN. 

The priority to focus furthermore on migrant smuggling and human trafficking aligns with the overall goal of the Polish Presidency to improve internal security and prevent and counter unauthorised entry, transit and residence in the EU. This priority also focuses on protecting the borders with Belarus.

The Polish Presidency will continue to support the accountability process for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide allegedly committed in Ukraine. Poland was one of the three countries, together with Lithuania and Ukraine that initiated the joint investigation team (JIT) into these alleged crimes in March 2022. More information on the role of Eurojust and Poland in relation to the war in Ukraine can be found here.

In the area of cybercrime, the Polish Presidency wants to focus on the protection of minors against exploitation and the sexual abuse of children, including online. Furthermore, efforts will also be made to step up research into the influence of artificial intelligence in criminal matters.

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INTERPOL publishes first Silver Notice targeting criminal assets

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – INTERPOL has published its first-ever Silver Notice to help trace and recover criminal assets, combat transnational organized crime and enhance international police cooperation.

The Notice, requested by Italy, seeks information on the assets belonging to a senior member of the mafia.

The Silver Notice is the newest addition to the Organization’s suite of colour-coded Notices and Diffusions, which enable countries to share alerts and requests for information worldwide. It is being launched as part of a pilot phase involving 52 countries and territories, which will run at least until November 2025.

Through Silver Notices and Diffusions, member countries can request information on assets linked to a person’s criminal activities such as fraud, corruption, drug trafficking, environmental crime and other serious offenses. It will facilitate locating, identifying, and obtaining information about laundered assets including properties, vehicles, financial accounts and businesses. Countries may subsequently use such information as a basis for bilateral engagement, including bilateral requests for seizure, confiscation or recovery of assets, subject to national laws.

Valdecy Urquiza, INTERPOL Secretary General said:

“Stripping criminals and their networks of illegal profits is one of the most powerful ways to fight transnational organized crime, especially considering that 99 per cent of criminal assets remain unrecovered. By targeting their financial gains, INTERPOL is working to disrupt criminal networks and reduce their harmful impact on communities worldwide.”

Prefect Raffaele Grassi, Deputy Director General of Public Security and Director of the Italian Criminal Police, said:

“Italy is proud to chair INTERPOL’s Expert Working Group on Asset Tracing and Recovery.  We are confident the Silver Notice and Diffusion will bring positive results, encouraging global law enforcement to enhance asset recovery efforts. It is of particular significance that this inaugural Notice has been issued at the request of investigators from the Guardia di Finanza in Palermo—a city synonymous with the Transnational Organized Crime Convention and its emphasis on the ‘follow-the-money’ principle.”

In 2023, INTERPOL’s 91st General Assembly, held in Vienna, Austria, outlined the development and implementation of the Silver Notice and Diffusion pilot through Resolution GA-2023-91-RES-11. The resolution tasked the Expert Working Group on Asset Tracing and Recovery, in collaboration with the General Secretariat, with designing the pilot’s scope, format, conditions and safeguard measures.

While Notices are shared with all 196 member countries, Diffusions may be directed to selected relevant countries. The General Secretariat will review every Silver Notice and Diffusion for compliance with the Organization’s rules prior to its publication or circulation. This includes ensuring they are not used for political purposes, in contravention of Article 3 of INTERPOL’s Constitution. During the pilot phase, extracts of Silver Notices will not be published on INTERPOL’s website.

Participating countries in the pilot will be able to collectively request up to 500 Silver Notices and Silver Diffusions, with the total divided equally among all participating countries.

Countries and territories participating in the pilot phase:

Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, China, Colombia, Congo, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Gabon, Georgia, Gibraltar (UK), Guinea, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea (Rep. of), Kuwait, Latvia, Malawi, Malta, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

INTERPOL Expert Working Group on Asset Tracing and Recovery

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Mr Paweł Wąsik takes up duties as new National Member for Poland at Eurojust

Source: Eurojust

Commenting on his appointment as the new National Member, Mr Wąsik stated: This is a great honour and an incredible opportunity to help strengthen international judicial cooperation in the fight against serious crime. I am pleased that my work and commitment to date have been recognised in this way, all the more so because I am taking up this post at a very demanding time, including the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Polish team at Eurojust has already been doing an excellent job in this direction and, given the scale of the challenge, I am pleased to announce that the Polish authorities have decided to significantly strengthen the composition of the team from 2025.

Since August 2023, Mr Wąsik has been Chair of the Economic Crime Team at Eurojust, coordinating and overseeing the support to specialised judicial experts and the coordination of cases concerning crimes such as swindling, fraud and money laundering. From July 2020 to 2023, he was Vice-Chair of the Economic Crime Team.

Mr Wąsik has extensive experience in combatting economic crimes. From 2010 until joining Eurojust in 2016, he worked as a public prosecutor at the Department of Economic Crime in the Circuit Prosecutor’s Office of Poznan. He started working for the Polish judiciary in June 2003 as a public prosecutor in the District Office of Poznan Grunwald.

The new National Member for Poland obtained a Master in Law at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan in 2000. He undertook several postgraduate studies in Economic and Business Law, Economic Criminal Law, and Financial Investigations and Analysis of Financial Crimes in Warsaw, Krakow and Strasbourg. He also followed a specialised study in asset recovery at the Basel Institute on Governance in 2018. In addition to his native Polish, Mr Wąsik speaks English and French.

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Border security threats focus of STOP operations in Africa

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – Efforts to boost border security in Zambia and Zimbabwe through operational training and enhanced use of INTERPOL policing tools saw more than 100,000 checks carried out against its global databases, generating hits for individuals wanted internationally.

The two phases of INTERPOL’s Smuggling, Training and Operations Programme (STOP) were held at Harare International Airport (3-5 October) and Lusaka International Airport (19-21 April) to increase security procedures at two key travel hubs in Africa.

The operations notably sought to combine efforts with law enforcement agencies worldwide against transnational organized crimes such as human trafficking and people smuggling, as well as terrorism.

More than 17,000 checks were carried out in Zimbabwe against INTERPOL’s global databases.

Operation STOP in Zimbabwe sought to combine efforts with law enforcement agencies against transnational organized crimes.

Operational training in Zambia helped enhance the crime-fighting skills of frontline officers.

During the operational phase in Zambia, some 90,000 checks were carried out against INTERPOL’s databases.

More than 17,000 checks were carried out in Zimbabwe against INTERPOL’s global databases, resulting in three hits for individuals wanted internationally under Red Notices for offences including forgery, money laundering and fraud.

During the operational phase in Zambia, some 90,000 checks were carried out against INTERPOL’s databases, resulting in three hits for individuals wanted separately for murder, terrorism-related offences, and money laundering.

More than 40 hits were also generated from checks against INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database.

“STOP operations are crucial in boosting the ability of frontline officers to tackle crimes such as irregular migration, human trafficking and other cross-border crimes which harm national and regional security.” Cyril Gout, INTERPOL’s Director of Operational Support and Analysis,

“Operational trainings directly enhance the crime-fighting skills of officers which are then put into practice to strengthen border security.”

At the heart of the STOP initiative is the extension of access for police at strategic border points to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure global police communications network.

To this end, frontline officers in Zambia and Zimbabwe were provided with INTERPOL mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, allowing them to run checks against INTERPOL’s databases and receive an instant response.

STOP helps member countries to protect vulnerable communities in the African region through capacity building, operational support, and the consolidation of global information-sharing platforms, providing a legacy of improved national operational capacity.