Category: Intelligence

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Secretary General announces new head of the NATO Representation in Ukraine

Source: NATO

On Wednesday (17 July 2024), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced the appointment of a Senior Representative to lead the NATO Representation in Ukraine (NRU). Patrick Turner will take up the role in Kyiv in September 2024. He previously served as NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations and as Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, as well as in a range of senior civil service positions for the United Kingdom.

The Secretary General welcomed the appointment: “Patrick Turner brings years of leadership and experience to the role. As a committed public servant, he has a strong track record of delivering results. I am sure he will excel in this important role as NATO continues to step up its support to Ukraine.”  Mr Turner said: “I am truly honoured to have been appointed as NATO’s Senior Representative in Ukraine. I look forward to leading the NATO Representation and to working very closely with the Ukrainian authorities and with NATO Allies and partners to help deliver NATO support to Ukraine.”

As the Senior Representative, Mr Turner will head the NRU and act as a focal point for NATO’s engagement with the Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv.  He will coordinate NATO’s efforts and provide the Alliance with assessments and advice on the situation in Ukraine.

At the NATO Summit in Washington, Allies agreed to establish NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) to better coordinate the provision of military equipment and training for Ukraine. This builds on NATO’s unprecedented support to Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression. Allies also announced a pledge of long-term security assistance to Ukraine with a minimum baseline of 40 billion euros within the next year, and to provide sustainable levels of security assistance for Ukraine to prevail.

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Participation by the NATO Secretary General in a meeting of the European Political Community

Source: NATO

On Thursday, 18 July 2024, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Jens Stoltenberg, will participate in a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC), at the Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

Media advisory

+/- 10:40 (CEST)    Doorstep by the Secretary General

Media coverage

The Secretary General’s remarks will be streamed live on the NATO website.
A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as photographs and video, will be available on the NATO website. 
 

For more information:
Contact the NATO Press Office
For general information about the EPC meeting, pool request or media logistics’ requests, please contact UKEPCMedia@fcdo.gov.uk.

Follow us on X (@NATO, @jensstoltenberg and @NATOPress).

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Readout of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s Office Call with Philippine National Security Advisor Eduardo M. Año, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr.

Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., met with key leaders in the Philippines, including National Security Advisor Eduardo M. Año, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr., today in Manila, Philippines.

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INTERPOL operation strikes major blow against West African financial crime

Source: Interpol (news and events)

16 July 2024

Police seize millions in illegal assets, including cryptocurrencies and luxury items

LYON, France – A global law enforcement operation targeting West African organized crime groups, including Black Axe, has led to hundreds of arrests, the seizure of assets worth USD 3 million, and the dismantling of multiple criminal networks around the world.

Operation Jackal III, which ran from 10 April to 3 July across 21 countries on five continents, targeted online financial fraud and the West African syndicates behind it.

The annual operation resulted in some 300 arrests, the identification of over 400 additional suspects, and the blocking of more than 720 bank accounts.

Isaac Oginni, Director of INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC) said:

“The volume of financial fraud stemming from West Africa is alarming and increasing. This operation’s results underscore the critical need for international law enforcement collaboration to combat these extensive criminal networks.

“By identifying suspects, recovering illicit funds and putting some of West Africa’s most dangerous organized crime leaders behind bars, we are able to weaken their influence and reduce their capacity to harm communities around the world.”

In Argentina, Operation Jackal III saw the dismantling of a major Nigerian-led transnational criminal network following a five-year investigation

By tracing illegal money trails worldwide, the Argentinian Federal Police worked collaboratively to bring suspected network members to justice

Swiss law enforcement seized over a kilogram of cocaine and approximately EUR 45,000 in cash during Operation Jackal III

Swiss law enforcement arrested multiple suspects believed to be part of a West African organized crime syndicate

As part of Operation Jackal III, Argentinian Federal Police search a residence for evidence

‘Supernotes’

Black Axe is one of the most prominent West African transnational organized crime syndicates, with operations in cyber fraud, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and violent crimes both within Africa and globally.

In Argentina, Operation Jackal III saw the dismantling of a Nigerian-led transnational criminal network following a five-year investigation. The Federal Police seized USD 1.2 million in ‘supernotes’ – high quality counterfeit banknotes – arrested 72 suspects and froze approximately 100 bank accounts.

The network used money mules to open bank accounts worldwide and is now under investigation in over 40 countries for related money laundering activities. The suspects include citizens from Argentina, Colombia, Nigeria and Venezuela.
More than 160 fraud victims suffered significant financial losses, with some forced to sell their homes or take out large loans as a result.

Illegal money trails

Diego Verdun, Head of Argentina’s National Central Bureau, said:

“Operation Jackal is a crucial step forward in combating West African online financial fraud and clearly demonstrates that cybercriminals cannot escape the watchful eye of INTERPOL’s 196 member countries – especially in Argentina.

“By following illegal money trails worldwide, INTERPOL and the global police community ensure that no matter where these criminals try to hide, they will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice.”

In a separate case in Switzerland, police cracked down on West African organized crime syndicates operating nationwide, seizing cocaine, approximately EUR 45,000 in cash, and arresting multiple suspects.

INTERPOL supported the operation by providing real-time access to its databases, facilitating the identification of criminals and their activities.

Cryptocurrency transactions

Portuguese criminal police dismantled a Nigerian network involved in money mule recruitment, laundering funds from online financial fraud victims across Europe. More than 25 syndicate members were identified in the process.

Data from seized computers and phones revealed large transfers to Nigerian bank accounts, cryptocurrency transactions, and sophisticated money laundering operations.

INTERPOL headquarters assisted countries by facilitating intelligence exchange and the identification and apprehension of suspects.

Operation Jackal III mobilized police forces, financial intelligence units, asset recovery offices, and private sector partners in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cote D’Ivoire, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

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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.

View infographic in full size [PDF]

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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.

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Ukrainas väidetavalt toimepandud raskete rahvusvaheliste kuritegude ühise uurimisrühma tegevusaega pikendatakse kaks aastat

Source: Eurojust

Seitse riiklikku ametiasutust, kes osalevad Ukrainas väidetavalt toimepandud raskete rahvusvaheliste kuritegude ühises uurimisrühmas (JIT), on kokku leppinud, et ühise uurimisrühma tegevusaega pikendatakse kaks aastat. Osalevate riikide peaprokurörid leppisid tegevusaja pikendamises kokku täna Ukrainas Kiievis toimunud koordineerimisnõupidamisel. Nõupidamine toimus samal ajal kui konverents „United for Justice“, mis toimub samuti Kiievis.

Ainult kolm nädalat pärast täiemahulise sissetungi algust Ukrainasse toetas Eurojust 25. märtsil 2022 Leedu, Poola ja Ukraina moodustatud ühise uurimisrühma loomist. 30. mail 2022 said liikmeks Eesti, Läti ja Slovakkia ning 13. oktoobril 2022 Rumeenia. 3. märtsil 2023 allkirjastasid ühise uurimisrühma seitse riiklikku ametiasutust vastastikuse mõistmise memorandumi Ameerika Ühendriikide justiitsministeeriumiga.

Rahvusvahelise Kriminaalkohtu Prokuratuur on osalenud ühises uurimisrühmas alates aprillist 2022 ja Europol alates oktoobrist 2023.

Two years on

A timeline of Eurojust’s response to the war in Ukraine

Open the timeline

Ühine uurimisrühm on üks kõige arenenumaid vahendeid, mida kasutatakse kriminaalasjades tehtavas rahvusvahelises koostöös, mis hõlmab kahe või enama riigi pädevate asutuste vahelist õiguslikku kokkulepet kriminaaluurimiste läbiviimiseks. Ühise uurimisrühma eesmärk on hõlbustada asjaomastes riikides uurimisi ja süüdistuste esitamist seoses Ukrainas väidetavalt toimepandud raskete rahvusvaheliste kuritegudega, samuti seoses nendega, mida võidakse käsitelda Rahvusvahelises Kriminaalkohtus.

Koordineerimisnõupidamisel arutasid osalejad ühise uurimisrühma senise tegevuse tulemusi ja järgmise kahe aasta prioriteete.

Eurojust pakub ühisele uurimisrühmale õiguslikku, analüütilist, logistilist ja rahalist tuge. Alates märtsist 2022 on amet korraldanud 22 koordineerimisnõupidamist, kus osalesid ühise uurimisrühma liikmed ja muud riiklikud ametiasutused, kes uurivad Ukrainas väidetavalt toimepandud raskeid rahvusvahelisi kuritegusid.

Ühist uurimisrühma toetavad ka raskete rahvusvaheliste kuritegude tõendite andmebaas (CICED) ja Ukraina-vastaste agressioonikuritegude eest vastutusele võtmise rahvusvaheline keskus (ICPA), mida haldab Eurojust. Lisateave Eurojusti võetavate mitmesuguste meetmete kohta alates sõja puhkemisest Ukrainas on meie spetsiaalsel veebilehel https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/eurojust-and-the-war-in-ukraine, kus on ka kõige sagedamate küsimuste vastused ning pressikonverentside ja muude seonduvate ürituste salvestised.

Konverents „United for Justice“

29. veebruaril Kiievis toimunud konverents „United for Justice“ (üheskoos õiguse nimel) tõi kokku paljud sidusrühmad, kes on osalenud püüdlustes tagada vastutus Ukrainas väidetavalt toime pandud raskete rahvusvaheliste kuritegude eest. Ukraina ametiasutuste korraldatud üritus keskendus kultuuripärandile. Ukraina peaprokurör Andri Kostin avas ürituse põhisõnavõtuga. Sõna võtsid Poola justiitsminister, Leedu ja Rumeenia peaprokurörid ning Eurojusti president Ladislav Hamran.

Lisateave:

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Mexico and Colombia dismantle transnational sex trafficking ring

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – Authorities in the Americas, supported by INTERPOL, have successfully dismantled a criminal network involved in the trafficking of Colombian women to Mexico, arresting its leaders and safeguarding eight victims.

In a coordinated operation between the specialized prosecutor’s offices, investigative police and INTERPOL National Central Bureaus of Mexico and Colombia, authorities arrested the group’s main leader, a Cuban-Mexican citizen, in Medellín, Colombia, and his main associate in Yucatan, Mexico. Both suspects were wanted by Mexico and subject to INTERPOL Red Notices.

Mexico: Officers carried out raids at safe houses and bars.

Colombia: The group’s ringleader was arrested in Medellín.

Arrest in Colombia

A profitable scheme targeting young women

The criminal group first came to the attention of police in June 2022 when victims in Mexico managed to escape and report their ordeals to authorities. The young victims, usually from impoverished backgrounds in Cali, Medellín and Bogotá, were promised employment as waitresses or hostesses in Cancun and Merida.

Investigations uncovered that the victims would then receive ‘official’ letters of invitation to facilitate their access to Mexico. Upon arrival, the women were greeted by members of the criminal group, who took them to safe houses and confiscated their passports. They were then forced to sign contracts bonding them to unaffordable debts, which would be paid off by performing sex work in bars allegedly owned by the group’s leader.

In Mexico, authorities from the Attorney General’s Office carried out raids in homes and bars, which led to the rescue of the victims and the arrest of the woman suspected of running operations in Merida.

In Colombia, authorities found that the suspected ringleader had been leading an ostentatious lifestyle in a luxurious country house and travelling in high-end armored vehicles with a security detail. His wealth, estimated to be over 8 billion Colombian pesos (close to EUR 1 million), is believed to be the direct proceeds of the trafficking scheme.

Investigations are ongoing in both countries to identify and seize financial assets connected to the group, and to arrest any additional members which may still be at large.

The case is being supported by INTERPOL through Project Turquesa, a joint initiative with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and funded by Global Affairs Canada.

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Eurojust and U.S. Department of Justice co-host meeting aimed at ensuring sensitive technologies stay out of the wrong hands

Source: Eurojust

The unlawful acquisition of sensitive technology is a significant threat to free and democratic societies around the world. When in the wrong hands, innovations that include semiconductor technology, quantum computing, biosciences and artificial intelligence can be used to increase the military capabilities of foreign adversaries. The technologies can also be used to engage in mass surveillance, suppress dissidents living abroad or commit other human rights abuses.

The meeting served as a unique opportunity for US and European partners to discuss the threats posed by the acquisition of sensitive technology by non-allied nations; exchange information about efforts to combat such threats, including relevant authorities, enforcement tools and best practices; and identify opportunities for further collaboration. As part of this discussion, the United States highlighted its Disruptive Technology Strike Force, a US inter-agency programme launched in 2023 aimed at preventing critical technologies from being unlawfully acquired.

Opening remarks were delivered by European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, Eurojust President Ladislav Hamran, U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen, and Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin.

In his remarks, Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran stated: ‘The acquisition of advanced technology by foreign adversaries is a global problem that demands a global solution. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has only increased the urgency of finding effective solutions to this longstanding challenge. The presence of so many stakeholders at today’s meeting sends a powerful signal: we can and must do better, because in the end, this is not just about technology but about protecting innocent lives.’

In his remarks, Assistant Attorney Mr Matthew G. General Olsen said: ‘The countries represented here have a shared commitment to the common goal of combatting the national security threat posed by the misuse of critical technology. International partnerships are critical to our work.  Our adversaries’ efforts to obtain sensitive technology reaches across the globe, and it demands an international response.’

The meeting was divided into topical sessions that featured speakers from EU Member States, EU institutions, other European countries and the United States. Participants highlighted recent examples of coordinated law enforcement actions against criminal actors involved in the illegal export of sensitive technology to foreign adversaries.

Participants agreed to carry the momentum forward and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting critical technology assets from being acquired or used by foreign adversaries.

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NATO and the Republic of Korea sign airworthiness agreement

Source: NATO

On Thursday (11 July 2024), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol at NATO’s 75th anniversary Summit in Washington DC. They signed an agreement on mutual recognition for military airworthiness certification which ensures the safety and airworthiness of all air assets used by NATO Allied countries and partners. This marks NATO’s first such deal with an Asian country.

In a joint statement, Mr. Stoltenberg welcomed the signing of the airworthiness certificate and emphasized that the agreement will “deepen our cooperation and interoperability between NATO and the Republic of Korea,” he said.

Under the agreement, NATO will recognize the Republic of Korea’s airworthiness certification process for domestically manufactured aircraft. While the Republic of Korea has previously signed similar agreements with the United States, Spain, France, and Poland, this new deal with NATO is expected to streamline mutual recognition procedures among NATO members.