According to the EU agency for police cooperation, more than 400,000 people from 118 countries are involved in criminal networks. Europol notes that these groups are becoming increasingly transnational and closely linked to the legal economy.
“All criminal activity is fueled by the online environment and accelerated by the development of artificial intelligence and technology,” said Europol Acting Executive Director Jürgen Ebner at a press conference in Brussels.
Criminal networks actively exploit vulnerabilities in financial systems and global trade, and devise complex schemes to conceal their proceeds. According to Ebner, such networks possess significant financial resources and employ methods that include corrupt practices and the use of legitimate businesses.
Europol notes that about 85% of the most dangerous criminal networks use legitimate companies as a front or to facilitate their activities, which makes detecting and dismantling them significantly more difficult.
Europol’s acting director also warned that simply arresting individual members is not enough to dismantle such structures, as their business model can be quickly replicated.
“Our goal is not simply to make arrests, but to dismantle entire networks, their leadership structures, and their financial flows,” said Cyprus Police Chief Femistos Arnaoutis, commenting on the approach to combating organized crime.
The report contains recommendations for strengthening cross-border cooperation, developing joint operations at logistics hubs—including port systems—as well as expanding efforts to combat criminals’ digital infrastructure and track financial flows.
Special mention is made of the Port Alliance initiative—a partnership between public and private entities established in 2024 to counter drug trafficking and the infiltration of criminal groups into the EU’s port infrastructure.
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