Central Intelligence and Security Oipol

& Operating in the / Communication by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation ( ). December 08, 2023

EUR 5.5 million frozen in anti-corruption investigations across Europe

European action month targets corruption in public and private sectors

The Central Anti-Corruption Office within the French National Police (OCLCIFF Police Nationale), has coordinated several long-running operational actions, supported by Europol, which targeted forms of corruption at all levels. The operational activities were implemented under the EMPACT framework. This setup further increased cooperation between the specialised units of the participating countries, as well as the exchange of information on anti-corruption investigations. In November 2023, a number of actions were implemented by authorities from Albania, Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands and Portugal.

Europol’s latest Serious and Organised Crime Threat assessment (EU SOCTA) report highlights that 60% of the criminal networks use corruption to facilitate their criminal activities. Continuing the fight against corruption is therefore crucial to bring down the criminal networks that pose the most serious risks to the security of EU citizens.

Swift and close cooperation between national authorities is decisive in successfully addressing corruption. The announcement of the results of these latest EMPACT actions is timely as the International Anti-Corruption Day takes place on 9 December, marking 20 years since the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Austria, Croatia, Finland Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden have also participated in previous strategic and operational actions within the same EMPACT annual action plan against corruption.

Global results of the actions in November:

49 cases
233 persons of interest interviewed, some of whom were arrested
267 searches
EUR 5.5 million of frozen assets
Corruption, misappropriation of funds and misconduct in public office

The investigations targeted a number of corruption related crimes including bribery and kickbacks, bid-rigging, trading in influence, collusion, conflict of interest, trading of information, embezzlement, favouritism and nepotism. The operational actions focused on corruption cases affecting politically exposed persons and foreign public officials, as well as corruption cases related to public procurement and investigations involving law enforcement and judicial authorities. National authorities also targeted different corruption practices in private companies as well as corruption in sports.

One example is a Portuguese case, which targeted the misappropriation of funds and abuse of positions in office. The Portuguese authorities investigated the use of public money by a political party between 2018 and 2021, which resulted in 20 searches. In another case, the Dutch authorities arrested three suspects as part of a bribery investigation into divulging confidential information linked to a procurement procedure of an oil storage company. This led to the seizure of EUR 2.5 million.

In a third case, the French authorities arrested an elected official who had executive functions in French overseas territories, together with two of his accomplices, directors of a company in which he had a vested interest. The value of the public procurement contracts signed by the company, notably with the administration supervised by the elected representative, amounts to EUR 2.3 million.

Europol support to corruption investigations

Together with France, Europol co-leads the annual operational action plan against corruption, implemented in the framework of EMPACT CFMLAR. Europol facilitated the information exchange and the operational coordination. The Agency also provided analytical support to assist law national authorities in combating corruption.

During a number of action days, Europol deployed analysts to locations to cross-checked operational information in real-time against Europol’s databases and provide technical expertise. In addition to the November actions, cases on corruption supported by Europol in the second half of 2023 resulted in the identification of 75 suspects in corruption related investigations.

Involved law enforcement authorities

Albania: Albanian State Police (Policia e Shtetit)
Belgium: Federal Police (Office central de répression de la corruption - Police Judiciaire fédérale)
France: National Police (Police Nationale)
Greece: General Directorate of Financial and Economic crime SDOE
Ireland: National Guard (An Garda Siochana)
Netherlands: Anticorruption Centre of the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD)
Portugal: Judicial Police (Policia Judiciaria)

& operating in the world | Institutional communication & photos, December 08, 2023

Europol’s 7th European Annual Drugs Conference

Law enforcement agencies from 27 EU Member States and 23 non-EU countries join forces and share expertise to combat the trafficking of illegal drugs.

Europol’s 7th European Annual Drugs Conference took place on 7 and 8 December at Europol’s headquarters in The Hague. The 2023 edition marked a crucial milestone in the collective efforts to address the multifaceted challenges posed by the illicit drug trade. The conference brought together high-ranking officials, experts, and representatives from diverse law enforcement agencies, signalling a unified front against the escalating threat.

Among the topics discussed were: EU drug policy developments, emerging routes, logistical hubs such as port infrastructure, operational trends and threats, as well as key international cases.

Europol’s Deputy Executive Director Jean-Phillipe Lecouffe, Operations Directorate, who opened the conference, said:

I see a continuous and urgent need for enhanced international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking. The complex nature of this global challenge demands a unified response in transcending geopolitical boundaries and fostering collaboration among countries and with private parties. The exchange of intelligence, joint operations, and coordinated efforts are essential to effectively dismantle the intricate networks that facilitate the illicit drug trade.

DG HOME’s Director for Internal Security Floriana Sipala, said:

It is crucial the EU fights back the escalating threat posed by criminal networks trafficking drugs, dismantling the networks behind drugs trafficking, following the money and confiscating their enormous profits. The European Commission has step up the European response with the EU Roadmap on the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime and it will implement it in close cooperation with EU Agencies and all the EU Member States.

The trafficking of illegal drugs has far-reaching consequences, which transcend borders and impact countries both within and outside the EU, and on a global scale. Notably, the increasing surge in violence associated with drug trafficking poses a direct threat to the safety and well-being of citizens. Criminal organisations engaged in these illicit activities often resort to extreme measures, leading to an alarming rise in violence that undermines the very fabric of our economies and societies.

Europol’s Annual Drug Conference serves as a platform to announce new collaborative initiatives, share best practices, and reinforce the commitment of participating law enforcement authorities. By fostering stronger partnerships, the international community aims to disrupt and dismantle the criminal organisations responsible for drug trafficking, thereby safeguarding communities and preserving the integrity of economies.

EU Roadmap on the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime:

In view of the escalating threat posed by criminal networks trafficking drugs, the Commission adopted on 18 October. The new Roadmap sets out concrete priority actions on fighting drug trafficking and organised crime at the EU level and globally, that will further strengthen our joint response in line with the aims of the EU Strategies on Organised Crime and Drugs.

The Roadmap aims to strengthen the resilience of logistical hubs with a new European Ports Alliance. The Alliance will work against drug smuggling and criminal infiltration to dismantle the criminal networks behind drug trafficking. Mapping high-risk criminal networks and supporting crime prevention measures, including by setting barriers and protecting young people from recruitment by criminal networks, will reinforce international cooperation with key partners on drug supply chains.

Recent report by Europol and key European ports:

Organised crime continually adapts to avoid detection, especially in the movement of illegal shipments like drugs and counterfeits. A recent collaborative report by Europol and key European ports (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg/Bremerhaven), highlighted m**hods used by criminal networks to circumvent security in EU ports. The report emphasises corruption as a pivotal facilitator for traffickers of illegal goods and calls for collaborative efforts between port authorities and law enforcement to combat criminal activities in ports.

2022 EU drug markets analyses from Europol and the EMCDDA:

A recent joint analysis by Europol and the EMCDDA and Europol revealed concerning trends in Europe's illegal drug markets. The landscape of Europe's role in international drug production and trade is shifting, with increased activities in co***ne and m**hamphetamine markets. Collaboration among criminal groups globally presents new security threats and market expansion. The report covered the supply chain, warning of innovation in production processes and hazardous new products. Increased production and trafficking were noted, with Latin American and European criminal groups collaborating.

Co***ne: The European co***ne market is expanding, reaching an all-time high in availability, with indications of a shifting role in the international co***ne trade. The estimated EU retail market value in 2020 was at least EUR 10.5 billion. High-risk criminal networks dominate trafficking, generating billions in profit. Increasing co***ne seizures in Europe have occurred since 2017.

A record 303 tonnes of co***ne was seized by EU Member States in 2021. Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain continue to be the countries reporting the highest volumes of seizures, reflecting the importance of these countries as entry points for co***ne trafficking to Europe. The corruption and intimidation of port workers facilitates smuggling, extending to other sectors in European society. Co***ne production is becoming more efficient globally, including in Europe, raising concerns about the availability of smokable co***ne products.

Collaboration between Latin American and European criminal networks in co***ne production activities is observed. Mexican networks are increasingly supplying co***ne to the EU, and the region is being used as a transit point for shipments to non-EU countries. Europol and the DEA jointly released a report revealing Mexican criminal involvement in the EU drug market.

Cannabis: The cannabis market, estimated at EUR 11.4 billion annually, is the largest drug market in Europe. Seizures in 2021 reached a decade high, with a shift towards more potent and diverse products. Cannabis potency has increased significantly, posing health risks, and the environmental impact is described as considerable. The collaboration between criminal networks contributes to security risks, involves various means of transportation and leads to violent clashes. The cannabis trade also fuels corruption, undermining governance. Policy changes in some EU countries, and globally, prompt the need for monitoring and evaluation to understand their impact on public health.

Amphetamine: The European amphetamine market is stabilising at EUR 1.1 billion annually. Europe, alongside the Middle East, is a major global producer and consumer of amphetamine. Most EU amphetamine is domestically produced, primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium, with criminals adapting and using innovative production m**hods.

Criminal networks in the amphetamine trade are business-oriented, cooperative, and adaptable, misusing legal structures and resorting to violence and corruption. Key actions at the EU and Member State levels are suggested to address these threats, including: improving strategic intelligence, reducing supply, enhancing security, fostering international cooperation, investing in capacity-building, and reinforcing policy and safety responses.

& Operating in / Communication by the Australian Federal Police ( ). December 08, 2023

Trio jailed over failed festive plot to import 99kg of m**h

Three men have each been sentenced to more than 13 years’ imprisonment for their roles in a plot to import almost $100 million worth of m**hamphetamine into Western Australia ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations in 2021.

The trio was sentenced in the Perth District Court today (8 December, 2023) after earlier pleading guilty to attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug. The m**hamphetamine was smuggled into Australia inside a shipment of bed pillows.

The AFP and Australian Border Force (ABF) officers arrested the men on 30 December, 2021, as they left a Maddington industrial property, where they had been inside a shipping container opening boxes of pillows to search for the illicit drugs they were expecting.

However, the AFP had replaced the 99kg of high-purity m**hamphetamine with a harmless substance and by the time the men left the property that evening – their second visit to the container that day – they knew there were no illicit drugs to collect.

The arrests were a result of a joint agency investigation launched when ABF officers found the drugs hidden in a 550kg shipment of latex bed pillows that arrived on a container ship from Asia.

ABF officers in Fremantle examined the consignment on 17 December (2021) and alerted the AFP when they found packages of a crystal-like substance in the pillows.

Tests established the m**hamphetamine was more than 80 per cent pure.

The AFP and ABF were assisted by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Department of Home Affairs and WA Police Force during the investigation.

AFP Inspector Chris Colley said the Maddington property where the shipping container was stored had also been linked to a separate AFP drug trafficking investigation.

“The same property was mentioned in messages found on a phone seized from a senior member of a transnational organised crime syndicate when he was arrested in Taiwan last year (2022),” AFP Inspector Colley said. “He was later convicted and jailed over a separate plot to import m**hamphetamine into Australia.”

“This provides an insight into illegal transnational supply chains, which have been disrupted by the AFP and partners.

“The impact of m**hamphetamine trafficking and use is seen in road trauma, family violence, homicides, shootings and other violent offending.

“Across Australia, there were 10,100 m**hamphetamine-related hospitalisations in 2021-2022 – which equates to more than 27 every day on average. This has an impact on the health system that can negatively affect the entire community.

"We are working tirelessly with our partners to make Australia a hostile place for criminal syndicates and combat the supply of these dangerous drugs in WA and across the country."

ABF acting Superintendent John Sweet said this was a significant seizure, disrupting countless potential harms to the Australian community.

“The latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report, released by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission in November, showed Western Australia has the highest average regional consumption of m**hylamphetamine in the country,” acting Superintendent Sweet said.

“No matter how innovative or sophisticated these criminals attempt to become, our officers will continue to disrupt their efforts to profit at the expense of the Australian community.

“The ABF and AFP will continue to work together to protect the integrity of the Australian border, and it’s fair to say the criminals involved in this attempted import won’t be sleeping easy after this outcome.”

Two of the men, now aged 33 and 34, were each sentenced to 13 years and six months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of eight years and one month.

The third man, 36, was sentenced to 13 years and one month’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of seven years and 10 months.

The sentences were backdated to 30 December, 2021, when the men were taken into custody.

& Operando en , / Comunicación del Ministerio Público Honduras. Diciembre 7, 2023

Comunicado Ministerio Público

Cinco detectives de la Dirección de Lucha contra el Narcotráfico ( ) son acusados y capturados por actos de corrupción, como parte de proceso de depuración que impulsa el Fiscal General

& operating in the world | Institutional communication & photos, December 08, 2023

Focus on the force: Unveiling the winners of the 2023 Europol photo competition

Winning entries submitted by photographers from Belgium, Denmark and Germany

The winners of Capture23

Europol has unveiled the winners of Capture23, the agency’s annual photo competition. The competition, open to police officers in all EU Member States, celebrates the hard work and dedication of law enforcement authorities across Europe. This year, we received hundreds of submissions from agencies throughout the EU, showing the many ways that law enforcement officers actively work to make Europe safer.

After a pre-selection process, 32 images were shortlisted and put to a vote. Three awards were up for grabs this year, each decided by a different group of voters:

the international law enforcement community represented in our headquarters
members of the public
Europol staff
We are happy to announce that Caroline Cange from Belgium, Connie Maria Westergaard from Denmark, and Jan-Niklas Kansteiner from Germany submitted the winning entries.

& Operating in / Communication by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ). December 07, 2023

HSI Yuma case sends m**hamphetamine smuggler to prison for 10 years

YUMA, Ariz. — A Casa Grande resident was sentenced to Nov. 27 to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for drug-related offenses. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

“This lengthy sentence is the result of HSI and our partner agencies’ commitment to curbing the flow of drugs attempting to infiltrate our communities,” said HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “Let this case serve as a warning to those who believe they can smuggle drugs into the United States undetected: You cannot. Law enforcement will detect you and you will face justice.”

Jesus Vega Perez, 22, of Casa Grande, was convicted by a federal jury on Jan. 19 of possession with intent to distribute m**hamphetamine and importation of m**hamphetamine.

On April 2, 2022, Perez drove a 2018 BMW sedan into the United States through the San Luis Port of Entry in San Luis, Arizona, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 30 packages hidden throughout the vehicle. The packages contained a white, crystal-like substance that tested positive for m**hamphetamine. The packages’ combined weight was over 30 pounds. Perez presented, and the jury rejected, a duress defense at trial.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Phoenix handled the prosecution.

& Operando en / Comunicación de la Nacional Argentina ( ). Jueves 07 de diciembre de 2023

Un conductor ocultaba 978 kilos de *****na entre carga de arroz

Integrantes de la Sección Seguridad Vial “Ceibas” dependiente del Escuadrón 56 “Gualeguaychú” realizaban controles vehiculares sobre la Ruta Nacional N° 12, a la altura de la localidad de Villa Paranacito, cuando advirtieron que un camión con semirremolque que se encontraba estacionado en cercanías al control emanaba un fuerte olor, característico al de ma*****na, por lo que procedieron a efectuar el registro físico y documentológico del rodado.

Al momento de la verificación, los uniformados constataron que era ocupado por un ciudadano de nacionalidad paraguaya que circulaba con destino final la ciudad de Santiago de Chile. Asimismo, al llevar a cabo la inspección de la carga, observaron que trasladaba una carga de arroz blanco a granel, sin embargo, detectaron la presencia de espuma de poliuretano en uniones de la carrocería y descubrieron que el precinto de seguridad aduanero se encontraba adulterado (estaba cortado y atado). Ante estos indicadores, procedieron a solicitar la documentación correspondiente a la mercadería transportada, la cual resultó inconsistente en el Manifiesto Internacional de Carga/ Declaración de Tránsito Aduanero (MIC-DTA).

Ante esta situación, los gendarmes realizaron el pasaje con el can antinarcóticos “Yana” que reaccionó de manera exaltada al pasar por unos bultos (que eran transportados sobre el arroz). Luego, al someter los paquetes al escáner de la Institución, los funcionarios observaron imágenes de una sustancia orgánica.

Con previa autorización del Juzgado Federal de Gualeguaychú, el personal de la Fuerza trasladó el operativo hacia el asiento de la Unidad. Allí, los integrantes de Criminalística y Estudios Forenses efectuaron las pruebas de campo Narcotest, que arrojaron resultado positivo para "“cannabis sativa” (compacto en estado seco) con un peso total de 978 kilos 480 gramos, distribuidos en 91 bultos.

El Juzgado interviniente, a cargo del Dr. Hernán Sergio Viri, dispuso el secuestro de la droga, de la carga y del rodado. En cuanto al involucrado, mayor de edad, quedó detenido en infracción a la Ley 23.737 “Estupefacientes”.

& operating in USA | communication & photos, December 07, 2023

ERO Boston arrests convicted fugitive wanted for assaulting, threatening minor in Brazil

BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested an unlawfully present female foreign fugitive who is wanted by law enforcement authorities after being convicted of assaulting and threatening a minor child in Brazil. Officers in Worcester, Massachusetts, apprehended the 35-year-old citizen of Brazil Nov. 30. She unlawfully entered the U.S. in September 2021.

“Foreign fugitives who attempt to hide in our region to avoid the punishments they have been handed in their native country will be aggressively pursued, detained, and removed.” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “This convicted foreign fugitive was successfully apprehended and will now have to face the consequences of her actions. ERO Boston remains committed to removing these individuals from our New England communities. Our team will apprehend them and make sure they face justice.”

In 2014, the Brazilian native was convicted of bodily injury and making violent threats against a minor by a criminal court in the city of Acucena, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Brazilian law enforcement authorities have sought custody of the fugitive to serve the sentence for her conviction in Brazil.

The Brazilian national unlawfully entered the United States in September 2021 near San Luis, Arizona. She was detained by U.S. Border Patrol and placed into removal proceedings. Following an immigration hearing, she was ordered removed by a federal immigration judge May 18, 2023.

After being made aware of the Brazilian native’s presence within the its area of responsibility, ERO Boston arrested the fugitive without incident in Worcester Nov. 30. She will remain in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) custody pending her removal to Brazil.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories. This group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions, including 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 s*x and s*xual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations and the repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.