Several different criminal groups, composed of members originating from the former Yugoslav republics of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, are still, on a large scale, involved in the smuggling, including financing and distribution, of cocaine from South America to various European destinations.
This is stated in the new Europol report, presented today in Brussels, which targets 821 of the most dangerous criminal groups, with several tens of thousands of members.
Criminal groups from the Balkans are characterized by a strong presence throughout the European Union and in the Western Balkan region.
"Also, they have established a very strong presence in Latin America, exploiting opportunities for corruption in and around key ports and in shipping companies. In doing so, they exercise ultimate control over the supply of cocaine. Some of these groups also specialize and/or are heavily involved in excessive violence, kidnappings and murders, corruption, money laundering, trafficking in arms and explosives, and forgery of documents. Violence is mainly used in retaliation for lost or unfinished drug shipments, but also in order to gain dominance over territory or the supply chain," says the report "Decoding the most dangerous EU criminal groups".
Organized crime continues to represent a significant threat to the internal security of the European Union (EU). In order to effectively prioritize resources and direct policy actions, law enforcement authorities and policy makers need to build a clear understanding of the most dangerous criminal networks operating in and affecting the EU, it was said today in Brussels, during the presentation of the new Europol report "Decoding the most dangerous criminal networks" EU".
Europol explained that the report deeply investigates the characteristics of criminal groups that pose the greatest threat.
That analysis is focused on mapping the most dangerous criminal groups and individuals and describes in detail how they are organized, what criminal activities they carry out, how and where they operate.
Europol announced that the report is one of the key results of the Belgian presidency of the EU Council, which strongly supported Europol's efforts in this regard.
They also said that it will be an important tool in the fight against organized crime, which is an EU priority, as stated in the recent road map presented by the European Commission.
Speaking at a press conference to present the report's main findings, Europol's executive director, Katrin De Bol, said that criminals are trying to hide, but that Europol is finding them.
"This Europol report is the most extensive investigation of key criminal networks ever conducted at the European level by law enforcement authorities. Thanks to the cooperation of all EU member states and Europol's 17 partner countries, we shed light on the activities of the most dangerous criminal networks in the EU. These data, now centralized in Europol , will give law enforcement authorities the edge they need to better target and investigate cross-border crime," she said.
Belgium's Minister of the Interior, Anneliese Verlinden, said that the report represents a significant milestone and reflects their unwavering commitment to protecting the safety of citizens.
"Although this report is a very important achievement, in itself, this is just the beginning. Much work and further steps are needed in the coming months and years," she said.
The Belgian Minister of Justice, Paul Van Tigchelt, said that combating organized crime is an absolute priority for them and said that the Report is an important new weapon in that fight.
"Now, for the first time, we have all the key data on the most dangerous criminal networks in one place - at Europol. The next step is for the various police forces of the member states to continue enriching this centralized information, so that we can further prosecute and dismantle these groups," he said.
The European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ilva Johansson, pointed out that organized crime is one of the biggest threats we face today, which threatens society with corruption and extreme violence.
"We need to know what we are fighting against, which is why mapping organized crime is a key objective of the EU Organized Crime Strategy and Roadmap that I launched last October. The result is this important report, which shows the criminal threat posed by over 800 criminal networks with tens of thousands members. I congratulate Europol on this important report," she said.
The European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said at the conference that the report will have significant consequences for judicial authorities throughout the EU and the rule of law.
"Judges and prosecutors can only fight organized crime if they are free from intimidation, threats or attempts to influence their professional integrity. We must ensure that this is the case. Since the most dangerous criminal networks run cross-border criminal operations, the cooperation of experts is vital. That is why the Commission will support proposals for a new EU judicial network, which will be housed in Eurojust, with a focus on organized crime," he said.
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