Europol: Organized Crime on the Advance

European Police Office - Europol: Organized Crime on the Advance

Organized crime is spreading in Europe, according to Europol, with criminal networks becoming increasingly violent, Europol Chief Catherine De Bolle told the news magazine "Spiegel". "Organized crime is on the march. It exploits every weakness," she said.

The growing drug trade is a breeding ground for violence, De Bolle added. The production of cocaine in South and Central America is booming, according to Europol, flooding Europe. "The situation is critical," she said. The trade in other drugs is also on the rise.

According to investigations by the European Police Office based in The Hague, there are 821 serious criminal networks active in the EU, with over 25,000 members. These highly professional and ruthless gangs, Europol warned recently, are primarily engaged in drug trafficking.

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The money earned in Europe through drugs should remain on the continent and be invested in the local economy, De Bolle continued: "Organized crime poses one of the greatest dangers of our time."

The police need technical resources, powers, and personnel to stand a chance against these networks, De Bolle said. "If we don't invest more, we will lose this fight."

Following a violent conflict between German and Dutch drug gangs over approximately 300 kilograms of cannabis in the Cologne area, the German Federal Criminal Police (BDK) is warning of serious crimes such as bomb attacks and kidnappings. "Holland must be a warning to us," said the North Rhine-Westphalia BDK chairman Oliver Huth to the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung". In the Netherlands, explosions at homes or businesses are a common tactic used by drug gangs.

1. The Dutch authorities have been dealing with a surge in criminality linked to drugs and human trafficking, as reported by The Mirror.
2. The European Police Office has identified Germany as a significant hub for organized crime networks, particularly in regions like North Rhine-Westphalia.
3. The confrontation between German and Dutch drug gangs in Hamburg demonstrated the readiness for violence among these criminal organizations.
4. Europol urged European nations to collaborate closely to combat this issue, emphasizing the need for a unified approach towards addressing Central American drug production and trafficking to Europe.
5. The escalating tensions between drug gangs have resulted in a significant increase in the number of bomb attacks and kidnappings in Germany, as the warning from the BDK chairman, Oliver Huth, indicated.
6. In response to the growing threat of organized crime, Catherine De Bolle advocated for investing more resources, powers, and personnel in the police force to ensure they are adequately equipped to face these challenges.
7. The revenues generated from the drug trade in Europe, such as cocaine, should not be used to support international criminal networks but instead be channeled back into the local economy, according to De Bolle.
8. Crime and criminality persist as major threats to European societies, as evidenced by the ongoing activities of organized crime networks and the growing challenge of drug trafficking in the continent.

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