Mandate

In the last year, Europol supported law enforcement authorities throughout the EU on crime fighting activities in all its mandated areas (as detailed in the Council Decision establishing the European Police Office).

The Europol Review outlines results and specific information on the type of support given and the outcome of many police operations throughout Europe and sometimes further afield.

Europol’s operational activities

Illicit Drugs

Illicit drugs are one of the major threats to the health and security of EU citizens, with up to two million problem drug users. Fighting drug-related crime has been a priority for Europol since its very beginning. Europol’s experts support EU law enforcement authorities to disrupt the activities of criminal organisations that are producing and trafficking drugs such as heroin, cocaine, cannabis and synthetics. Our specialist team also helps to safely dismantle synthetic drugs laboratories in the field. The Europol Illicit Laboratory Comparison System (EILCS) and the Europol Synthetic Drug System (ESDS) are two of the tools used for these operations. Drugs seized by authorities include cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis, ecstasy and heroin.

Trafficking in Human Beings

Trafficking in human beings (THB) affects all EU countries, with the number of victims just in Europe estimated to be hundreds of thousands. This form of crime abuses individuals’ human rights and treats men, women and children as commodities through, for example, sexual and labour exploitation. Europol regularly supports high-level human trafficking investigations, providing on-the-spot operational support through our mobile office, and giving access to our criminal databases and analytical tools. This has resulted in disrupting
the activities of many criminal networks involved in THB.

Facilitated Illegal Immigration

Facilitated illegal immigration is assisting, for financial gain, entry into or residence in a country in violation of that country’s laws. The criminals involved in facilitated illegal immigration are often also involved in other crimes such as drugs and people trafficking, forgery of passports/IDs and money laundering. Europol provides support to major international investigations by coordinating operational activities, providing forensic and technical expertise, and access to criminal intelligence and analysis.

Europol Cyber Crime Centre

No crime is as borderless as cybercrime, with such investigations regularly involving hundreds of victims and suspects all over the world. In response to this growing threat, the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) at Europol is the focal point in the EU’s fight against cybercrime: pooling expertise and intelligence; supporting and mobilising law enforcement resources for investigations; building operational and analytical capacity; and promoting EU-wide solutions. The EC3 team delivers high-level expertise through three specialist teams that focus on combating child sexual exploitation, payment card fraud and cybercrime, bringing cutting-edge support to EU law enforcement cybercrime investigations.

Intellectual Property Crime

The piracy and counterfeiting industry is estimated to be worth up to US $200 billion and the goods produced cross every imaginable product sector. Counterfeit products are often inferior in quality, may be unsafe and even lethal, produced in sweatshops, which are ‘staffed’ by children who are paid very little. Counterfeiting affects legitimate business, investment, innovation and jobs. Europol’s intellectual property crime (IPC) specialists support international IPC investigations with law enforcement and private sector partners, to protect consumers and identify the criminals behind these networks.

Cigarette Smuggling

It is estimated that the illicit tobacco trade costs the EU around 10 billion euros annually in lost revenue. The vital revenue lost to tobacco smuggling could have been spent on essential public services such as schools, hospitals, roads and law enforcement. Illegal tobacco is produced with cheap materials, with little regard for health or quality controls, often resulting in a seriously unhealthy mix of chemicals and organic matter. Europol assists customs and other law enforcement authorities to share intelligence, resulting in the detection of illicit cargo and identification of the organised crime groups involved.

Euro Counterfeiting

Europol is the European Union’s Central Office for combating euro counterfeiting. We cooperate closely with EU Member States, the European Central Bank, Interpol and other partners to prevent and combat the forgery of money and disrupt the organised crime groups behind it. Europol is involved in all major euro counterfeiting investigations in the EU, facilitating international cooperation, the exchange of criminal intelligence, providing technical and forensic support, and training.

VAT Fraud

The European Commission estimates that VAT fraud costs the EU at least 60 billion euros annually. Missing trader intra-community (MTIC) fraud is tax fraud carried out by criminals attacking the VAT regimes of EU countries. A mutation from tangible goods-based fraud into service-based fraud has been experienced, with criminals involved in carbon credit fraud in the environmental/energy markets. Europol supports EU Member States’ investigations by coordinating operations and disseminating intelligence to identify the most prominent criminal targets and bring them to justice.

Money Laundering and Asset Tracing

Most cases investigated by law enforcement authorities have one common denominator – a financial motive for committing the crime. Europol helps to prevent and combat criminal money laundering activities through a dedicated operational analysis project. The Europol Criminal Assets Bureau helps EU authorities to trace the proceeds of crime worldwide in investigations supported by Europol. Europol also hosts the secretariat of the Camden Assets Recovery Inter-Agency Network (CARIN), whose aim is to assist cross-border cooperation in tracing, freezing, seizing and confiscating criminal assets.

Mobile Organised Crime Groups

Mobile organised crime groups (MOCGs) operate with a high degree of flexibility and mobility in multiple jurisdictions and criminal sectors. Primarily involved in property crime or fraud, these criminals focus on activities such as: (armed) robberies; burglaries; organised shoplifting and pick pocketing; cargo and metal theft; cash machine and cash-in-transit attacks; theft of vehicles, trucks and heavy machinery from construction sites, and even theft of rhino horn. Europol works closely on investigations with law enforcement agencies from the EU and beyond to identify and dismantle the criminal networks behind mobile organised crime.

Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

Europol’s specialist project Monitor helps prevent and combat the criminal activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) and supports law enforcement partners in policing major biker events.

Terrorism

Terrorism continues to pose a threat to Europe, with extremist and terrorist groups active in the EU and impacting the lives of its citizens. Europol assists EU Member States to conduct investigations in this area by providing intelligence exchange and support, and analytical products such as the annual EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT). We provide various tools and platforms to help experts work together and share knowledge in their diverse specialist areas. Europol also exchanges intelligence on maritime piracy to identify the key perpetrators, logistical assets and financial flows linked to these criminal activities.