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Source: Europol
On 19 September, Bulgarian authorities, supported by Europol, dismantled a criminal network smuggling migrants from Türkiye via Bulgaria and Serbia towards Western Southern Europe. The investigation, involving Greek and Romanian authorities, was conducted in the framework of a regional Operational Task Force set up to investigate migrant smuggling networks using Bulgaria as a transit country.The action day led to:8 arrests…
Source: Europol
Investigators reported 483 000 victims worldwide, who had attempted to regain access to their phones and been phished in the process. The victims are mainly Spanish-speaking nationals from European, North American and South American countries.The successful operation took place thanks to international cooperation between law enforcement and judiciary authorities from Spain, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.The action week took…
Source: NATO
From 2 to 5 October 2024, the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (DGIMS), Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak visited NATO Partner Armenia. While in Yerevan, he met with military leaders and senior officials. Their discussions included military cooperation, defence reform and how to strengthen regional security and stability.
NATO and Armenia have a long-standing Partnership, for 30 years, since Armenia joined the Partnership for Peace in 1994. For nearly 20 years, Armenia has also been a key partner in NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping mission, helping to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo. During his visit LTG Adamczak underscored the importance of this contribution. “We welcome Armenia’s increased level of cooperation with NATO over the past two years. That includes additional troop contributions to our KFOR mission in Kosovo,” said Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak.
In his meeting with Lt. General Edvard Asryan, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, LTG Adamczak highlighted that NATO is ready to develop the Partnership with Armenia. “We are developing a new framework for our cooperation with a special focus on defence education, defence reform, interoperability, resilience and public diplomacy,” LTG Adamczak added. In his speech in the Military Academy in Yerevan he focused on NATO’s reinforcement of collective defence, while also outlining the way ahead for military cooperation between Armenia and NATO. “Your dedication as a NATO Partner to our operations, missions and activities shows that military cooperation between NATO and its Partners is mutually beneficial,” LTG Adamczak, said in his address.
While in Yerevan, the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff also discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine with his Armenian hosts, condemning the illegal Russian aggression and calling for support and solidarity with Ukraine.
Source: NATO
From 3 to 5 October 2024, the Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling, payed an official visit to Montenegro where he met with key Montenegrin military and political leaders. Lieutenant General Rohling also engaged with the “To Be Secure” Forum, organized by the Atlantic Council of Montenegro.
In Budva, Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Rohling, and the Montenegrin Chief of Defence, Brigadier General Zoran Lazarević, sat down to discuss the outcomes of the recent NATO Chiefs of Defence Conference in Prague. Lieutenant General Rohling also took the opportunity to thank Montenegro for its contributions to NATO’s collective defence and the increased support for Ukraine.
Speaking with the Minister of Defence, Mr Dragan Krapovic, Lieutenant General Rohling stressed Montenegro’s critical role in securing stability in the Western Balkans, “NATO praises Montenegro’s contribution to Allied security through your continuous investment into modernization and standardization, which facilitates interoperability and interchangeability of Montenegrin Armed Forces within the Alliance”, underscored Lieutenant General Rohling.
In separate meetings with the President, Mr Jakov Milatovic, and Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, the Montenegrin political leadership announced that the country had edged-over the 2% mark of GDP investment in defence spending. Earlier this year, Montenegro had committed to meet this baseline until the end of 2024. Lieutenant General Rohling praised the increase in defence investment and reflected on the last 7 years of positive contributions by Montenegro to the Alliance, since their accession in 2017.
Before returning to Brussels, the Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee participated in an engagement at the “To Be Secure” Forum. The theme of this year’s edition was: “World in Disorder: Turning Adversity into Opportunity”. In his remarks, Lieutenant General Rohling Committee highlighted NATO’s response to the fundamental changes of global security, while focusing on cooperation with Montenegro. “NATO is fully committed to Montenegro, which is a key part of the Alliance, and the strong leadership of Montenegro is important for the Alliance.”
Highlighting practical examples of NATO-Montenegrin cooperation, Lieutenant General Rohling said “For the past two months, an element of Montenegro’s forces trained in Germany. They were part of a larger American brigade, and they performed phenomenally during that exercise, and this is a means to demonstrate the readiness of Montenegro’s armed forces in practice. Montenegro also contributes to missions in Iraq, Kosovo and NATO’s Forward Land Forces.”
Throughout the visit, the Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Montenegro, Mrs. Judy Rising Reinke.
Source: NATO
On Wednesday (2 October), NATO, Allied space experts and space industry representatives gathered at NATO Headquarters in Brussels to address how to increase the protection of commercial partners against hybrid threats.
Over the past decade, the commercial space sector has grown substantially, driven by rapid advances in technology and higher demand from both civilian and military users. However, new opportunities in space come with new risks, vulnerabilities and threats.
During the Commercial Space Forum at NATO, participants discussed the threats they face, from cyber-attacks against ground systems, to jamming or spoofing of GPS and other satellite communications signals. They also addressed the importance of further investment in areas such as cybersecurity and sharing information about threats.
NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Ms Tarja Jaakkola, highlighted the need for a new relationship between the military and the commercial sector, “where both sides can learn from another, and where we can support and harness the entrepreneurial spirit and technological innovation essential to keep our defences strong and effective.”
The Forum will help frame NATO’s first Commercial Space Strategy next year, which will include direction for the protection of industry partners.
Source: NATO
On Tuesday, 8 October 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will receive the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. While at NATO Headquarters, President Stubb will also meet with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer.
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Source: NATO
NATO and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs are jointly organising the 19th Annual NATO Conference on Arms Control, Disarmament and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Non-Proliferation on 3-4 October 2024, in Warsaw.
NATO Acting Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Javier Colomina and Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Kupiecki will deliver remarks at the opening session of the conference on 3 October.
NATO has organised the Annual NATO Conference on Arms Control, Disarmament and WMD Non-Proliferation since 2004. This is unique event brings together around 150 participants from 50 countries, Allies, Partners and officials to discuss issues related to WMD challenges and proliferation.
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Source: Eurojust
01 October 2024|
On 25-26 September, Eurojust and the Council of Europe co-hosted a workshop on the spontaneous exchange of information obtained during criminal investigations. More than 70 participants from approximately 40 countries joined the annual event, which took place at Eurojust’s headquarters.
Often, in cybercrime investigations authorities obtain valuable information that may assist another country in its criminal proceedings. Parties to the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) may spontaneously share information on the basis of Article 26, and there are a variety of ways of doing this in practice. During the two-day workshop, participants had lively debates on the practical use of Article 26 in various jurisdictions, which included sharing interpretations and applications based on national contexts.
The often borderless nature of cyber- and cyber-related crime makes effective cross-border cooperation essential to investigate and prosecute perpetrators. Participants of the event stressed the use of existing legal frameworks and channels to enhance cooperation in this crime area.
The outcomes of this workshop will also feed into the development of a Guidance Note on spontaneous information by the Cybercrime Convention Committee (T-CY).
Source: Interpol (news and events)
Eight individuals have been arrested as part of an ongoing international crackdown on cybercrime, dealing a major blow to criminal operations in Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
The arrests were made as part of INTERPOL’s Operation Contender 2.0, an initiative aimed at combating cyber-enabled crimes, primarily in West Africa, through enhanced international intelligence sharing.
Phishing scam targets Swiss citizens
In Côte d’Ivoire authorities dismantled a large-scale phishing scam, thanks to a collaborative effort with Swiss police and INTERPOL.
The scam, which resulted in reported financial losses of over USD 1.4 million, involved perpetrators who posed as buyers on small advertising websites. The fraudsters used QR codes to direct victims to fraudulent websites that mimicked a legitimate payment platform where victims would unwittingly enter personal information such as their log in details or card number. They also impersonated the platform’s customer service agents over the phone to further deceive victims.
Swiss authorities received over 260 reports regarding the scam between August 2023 and April 2024, which prompted an investigation that traced the suspects back to Côte d’Ivoire.
With coordination and intelligence from INTERPOL, the Ivorian Cyber Unit led the investigation, locating and arresting the main suspect, who confessed to the offence and to making financial gains of over USD 1.9 million.
The arrest also led to the seizure of digital devices, which are currently undergoing forensic analysis. Five other individuals were found to be conducting cybercriminal activities at the same location, increasing the scope of the operation.
The investigation is still ongoing, with Ivorian investigators working to identify additional victims, recover stolen funds, and trace goods purchased with illicit proceeds.
An international campaign against romance cyber fraud
The Contender 2.0 operation is the latest wave of ongoing action coordinated by INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC). The initiative was launched in 2021 in response to intelligence from authorities and private partners on the activities of cybercriminal syndicates operating within the African region, particularly in West Africa.
The project targets a variety of cyber threats, including business email compromise schemes, a type of phishing attack in which criminals exploit trust to deceive senior executives into transferring funds or divulging sensitive information.
Another key AFJOC objective is romance scams and other financial grooming crimes which often involve cryptocurrencies or other digital assets. Romance scams refer to criminals creating fake online identities to develop romantic or close relationships with their victims, ultimately to manipulate or steal money from them.
In one recent example, authorities in Finland alerted the Nigerian Police Force via INTERPOL that a victim had been scammed out of a substantial amount of money. Leveraging its private sector partners, including Trend Micro and Group-IB, INTERPOL’s AFJOC was able to provide detailed information to the Nigerian authorities. This intelligence was instrumental in guiding investigative efforts, and local police arrested the suspect on 27 April 2024, along with an accomplice. The investigation revealed the offender’s involvement in similar scams and uncovered links to other potential victims.
Neal Jetton, Director of the Cybercrime Directorate said:
“Leveraging the increased reliance on technology in every aspect of our daily lives, cybercriminals are employing a range of techniques to steal data and execute fraudulent activities. These recent successful collaborations, under the umbrella of Operation Contender 2.0, demonstrate the importance of continued international cooperation in combating cybercrime and bringing perpetrators to justice.”
The AFJOC project is funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Source: NATO
On 1 October, we bid farewell to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who served 10 years at the helm of NATO, and welcomed Mark Rutte into the position. But what exactly is a NATO Secretary General and how does someone get the job? How long do they serve and what do they do every day? Read on to find out!
What does a Secretary General do?
The Secretary General of NATO is the public face of the Alliance and the person who steers the process of consultation and decision-making among the 32 Allies. It’s not an easy job, because 32 different countries with 32 different viewpoints (and a lot of different cultures and languages) need to agree on all decisions before they can be implemented.
How is a Secretary General chosen?
NATO Allies put forward senior political figures from their countries for the post of Secretary General. Member countries engage in informal diplomatic consultations until they are able to reach consensus on one candidate.
How long does the Secretary General serve?
The Secretary General is appointed by NATO Allies for an initial period of four years, but that can be extended if all Allies agree. For example, Jens Stoltenberg was extended four times to lead the Alliance for a total of 10 years!
What does the Secretary General’s day-to-day look like?
The Secretary General chairs major committees, including regular meetings of the main political decision-making body of the Alliance, the North Atlantic Council, as well as other key bodies. They hold meetings with leaders from member and partner countries to discuss topics on NATO’s agenda at NATO Headquarters and abroad, travelling the world on a regular basis. They act as the spokesperson for NATO, representing the Alliance to the public, to other international organisations and to the international press and media. The Secretary General is also the de facto CEO of NATO’s International Staff, who make sure the Alliance is running smoothly.