Auto Added by WPeMatico
Source: Europol
Leading up to the action day, authorities across Europe had seized counterfeit banknotes of various denominations (mostly 20, 50 and 100 euros) worth around EUR 950 000 before they entered circulation, all traceable to the same producer. Furthermore, the arrested counterfeiter is believed to be responsible for over 27% of all faked euro banknotes discovered and taken out of circulation…
Source: NATO
Three NATO ships conducted a successful passing exercise with two Japanese ships in the Eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday (14 August 2024).
The ships HMCS Charlottetown and TCG Gaziantep from the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), along with ROS Vice Admiral Constantin Balescu from Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2), conducted the exercises with JS Kashima and JS Shimakaze from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Training Squadron.
A passing exercise allows Allied and Partner navies to develop and maintain mariner skills and strengthen interoperability. During the operation, the ships conducted a wide range of activities from manoeuvring exercises to communications drills.
Sailors from HMCS Charlottetown, ROS Balescu and JS Kashima visited each other’s ships in a cross-deck exercise.
“The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has a longstanding relationship with NATO when it comes to Maritime Security. We are seeing more and more that the Indo-Pacific is important for NATO, given that developments in that region can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security,” said Royal Canadian Navy Commodore Matthew Coates, Commander of SNMG2.
“Exercising with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Eastern Mediterranean is a fantastic representation of the interconnectedness between NATO and Japan. These exercises allow us to improve interoperability not only with Alliance members but also our international partners,” he added.
Beyond partnerships, routine exercises at sea between Allied and Partner nations enhance readiness and the ability to operate effectively together.
“The successful conduct of the PASSEX (passing exercise) with our esteemed Japanese counterparts and Alliance members epitomises our unwavering commitment to maritime security and operational excellence,” said Romanian Navy Captain Sebastian Barote, Commander of SNMCMG2.
“This exercise highlights the critical importance of keeping cooperation with our Partners at the highest level. We have to benefit from any training opportunities with our Partners and enhance our ability to operate together effectively and ensure we are always ready to protect global maritime routes. Our commitment to preserving the freedom of navigation and addressing potential threats is vital for maintaining stability and security in our region,” he said.
SNMG2 is a multinational, integrated maritime force made up of vessels from Allied nations to perform various tasks ranging from exercises to the support of operations.
They also help to establish Alliance presence, demonstrate solidarity, conduct routine diplomatic visits to different countries, support Partner engagement and provide a variety of maritime military capabilities to ongoing operations.
The other participating group, called SNMCMG2 is a multinational naval force dedicated to mine countermeasures (MCM), comprising state-of-the-art minehunters and minesweepers. These specialized vessels are at the forefront of maritime safety, executing complex operations to detect, identify and neutralize naval mines and explosive ordnance, ensuring the secure passage of naval and commercial vessels.
Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff
August 14, 2024
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., met with Australian Vice Chief of the Defence Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman today at the U.S. Strategic Command Deterrence Symposium in Omaha, Neb.
Gen. Brown congratulated Air Marshal Chipman on his recent appointment, and the two leaders discussed a range of Indo-Pacific security issues, including Australian modernization efforts, U.S. and Australian coordination, U.S. force posture in the region and the importance of maintaining stability in the region. The two leaders also discussed a wide array of global issues to include the evolving security environment in the Middle East.
The U.S.- Australian alliance plays a critical role in maintaining a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.
For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
Connect with the Joint Staff on social media:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,
LinkedIn and Flickr.
Source: NATO
NATO’s highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, will meet from 13 to 15 September 2024, in Prague, Czech Republic. During the in-person meeting, the Chiefs of Defence will discuss military strategic developments within the Alliance. Czech President Petr Pavel will join for the opening of the Military Committee Conference.
The first session will see the NATO Chiefs of Defence address the implementation of decisions made by the Allied Heads of State and Government at the Washington Summit in July 2024. As the Alliance celebrates its 75th anniversary, NATO leaders are taking major steps to further strengthen deterrence and defence, bolster long-term support to Ukraine and deepen global partnerships.
In the second session, Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher G. Cavoli, will brief the Chiefs of Defence on the progress of the implementation of the DDA Family of Plans. These plans make the Alliance stronger and more able to deter and, if necessary, defend against any potential adversary. As part of NATO’s support package to Ukraine, this session will also discuss the establishment of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), a new command which is designed to plan, coordinate and arrange delivery of security assistance.
In the third session, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Philippe Lavigne, will brief and update on the Alliance’s warfighting transformation in accordance with the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP). Among other topics, the Chiefs of Defence will discuss the launch of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre (JATEC), an important pillar of practical cooperation, to identify and apply lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine and increase Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO.
The Military Committee meets in Chiefs of Defence Session twice a year at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, and once a year a Conference is held by an Allied member state. The Military Committee convenes to discuss NATO operations, missions and activities and to provide the North Atlantic Council with unfettered, consensus-based military advice on how the Alliance can best address global security challenges. On a day-to-day basis, its work is carried out by the permanent Military Representatives at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
Media opportunities
Saturday 14 Sep 2024
08:15 (CEST) Opening Remarks (livestreamed) by Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel and the Czech Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Karel Řehka.
17:45 (CEST) Joint Press Conference (media present – livestreamed) with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, and the Czech Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Karel Řehka.
Note: Media interested in physically attending the press conference are advised to submit registration forms before 12:00 hrs 30 August 2024 (download form docx).
Imagery
Following each event, photos, video and audio files will be made available on the NATO IMS webpage www.nato.int/ims, as well as on the MC Conference event page
Social media
PASCAD will post the latest information and photos from the Conference on our official X account: @NATO_PASCAD. The Chair of the NATO Military Committee will be using his official account @CMC_NATO.
The Armed Forces of the Czech Republic will also post updates from the conference on their official account: www.army.cz and official X account: @ArmadaCR.
Please use the hashtags #NATOMC, #NATOCHoDs and #NATOPrague when tweeting about the NATO Military Committee Conference.
Media enquiries
Ms Eleonora Russell, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Advisor to the NATO Military Committee and International Military Staff
Tel: + 32 471 61 09 55
E-Mail: russell.eleonora@hq.nato.int
Col Magdalena Dvořáková, Head of the Public Affairs, Office of the Chief of the General Staff, The Armed Forces of the Czech Republic
Tel: + 420 725 844 517
E-Mail: kangs@army.cz
For more background information about the NATO Military Committee visit https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49633.htm
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:
Source: Europol
A suspiciously dormant projectThe suspect’s company, which was registered in Spain, had reported hardly any commercial activity since its establishment. It had never developed any project, neither in Spain nor in any other country. However, between 2020 and 2022 the company reported two income streams for a total amount of over EUR 4.5 million. Further investigation showed that individuals close…
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:
Source: Europol
Several locations were also searched simultaneously in North Macedonia, where machines for the production of counterfeit currency, thousands of assembled coins, rings and core blanks were seized.The individual arrested is identified as an employee of the Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia. Authorities were alerted to the suspect’s activities through a coordinated intelligence-sharing effort.A joint investigation team (JIT) was established…
Source: NATO
A new NATO-funded initiative aims to make the internet less vulnerable to disruption by rerouting the flow of information into space in the event that undersea cables are attacked or accidentally severed. The $2.5 million project, launched on 31 July 2024, was partially funded by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security programme (SPS).
“Through this SPS-supported project, NATO is bringing together Allies, prominent institutions including the Cornell, John Hopkins and Swedish Defence Universities and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology as well as telecommunications companies to address the urgent need for a more resilient internet infrastructure worldwide,” said Dr Eyup Turmus, SPS Advisor and Programme Manager at NATO.
The project aims to produce a working prototype within two years, with a demonstration planned at the Blekinge Institute of Technology, a NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) Maritime Research Centre in Sweden. The Hybrid Space/Submarine Architecture Ensuring Infosec of Telecommunications (HEIST) consortium leading the project aims to develop a hybrid network combining submarine cables and satellite communications to ensure a continuous flow of data. It will bring together existing technologies, address legal and jurisdictional challenges, and foster international collaboration between NATO Allies and partners, including the US, Iceland, Sweden and Switzerland.
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:
* 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.