Europol - Newsroom

1. Launch of EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2025

   Europol’s EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2025 (SOCTA 2025) is a unique, intelligence-driven report offering forward-looking insights into how organised crime is changing – and its impact on our societies.As the cornerstone of EU crime priority setting, this assessment will guide law enforcement strategies and EU policies in tackling Europe’s most pressing criminal threats.Stay tuned for key findings...

2. Strategic partnerships: Europol boosts cooperation with Latin America

   On 7 March 2025, Europol welcomed ministerial delegations from the Latin American Committee for Internal Security (CLASI) to its headquarters in The Hague. The visit marked the final day of the delegates’ official tour, following two days of high-level meetings in Brussels on the margins of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council on 5 March. Facilitated through the EU-funded...

3. EU and Brazil sign international agreement to fight organised crime and terrorism

   The agreement was signed today by Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, and the Minister of Justice and Public Security of Brazil, Ricardo Lewandowski, in the presence of Europol’s Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle.Brazil has been a key partner for Europol since 2017, with a strong record of operational cooperation across various crime areas, including drug trafficking, cybercrime...

4. Digital sprint to disrupt sexual exploitation of Ukrainian nationals

   In a coordinated effort to combat human trafficking, Europol hosted an international operational action between 25 and 28 February 2025, bringing together analytical, OSINT and investigative experts from 12 countries, including Ukraine*. The action took place at Europol’s headquarters in The Hague, coinciding with the third anniversary of the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.The operational action...

5. Criminal ringleader and nine associates arrested after killing a witness

   Europol’s Operational Task Force, which is dedicated to targeting criminal networks in the Balkans, had identified the network’s leader as a high-value target. After a major crackdown in May 2023, which led to the arrest of 37 members, a branch of the criminal network remained active. It was led by a national of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who was incarcerated at...