Europol Report Release: "86% Corporate Gangs"
At least 821 criminal organizations are operating within the European Union (EU), with members from 112 countries and a total membership exceeding 25,000.
AFP and other agencies reported that Europol released a report on the 5th (local time) analyzing the composition and activities of particularly threatening criminal organizations based on data received from 27 member states and 17 partner countries.
The main bases of criminal organizations are Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. However, more than two out of three criminal organizations have multinational members. When combining the nationalities of the 25,000 identified members, it was found to be 112 countries.
Catherine De Bolle, Europol Director, stated, “Organized crime is one of the greatest threats we face today,” adding, “We will share the network analysis results with law enforcement agencies in member states.” She also revealed, “6% of criminal organizations have leaders residing outside the EU,” noting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, and Morocco are preferred locations.
The main crimes committed by these organizations include trafficking of drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and synthetic drugs. In addition, they have expanded their influence into real estate, construction, transportation, and entertainment industries. While there have been cases of intimidation or bribery of prosecutors and judges, 86% of these groups are 'corporate-style gangs' disguised as legitimate businesses.
The report pointed out that “criminal organizations are not operating in isolated underground worlds but are directly affecting the lives of EU citizens.” It also cited the example of Italy’s largest mafia organization, the ’Ndrangheta.
The ’Ndrangheta is known to launder profits from drug and arms trafficking by investing in restaurants and other businesses. In May last year, police from eight European countries conducted the so-called ‘Eureka Operation,’ arresting over 100 ’Ndrangheta members and seizing assets worth 25 million euros (approximately 36.7 billion KRW).
Meanwhile, last year, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) described Sweden as “a country where the number of firearm-related deaths increased by 38% in one year; a city with a firearm death rate per capita more than 30 times that of London, UK; a place where gang wars have become commonplace.”
In fact, in January last year, a bomb exploded at a restaurant in downtown Stockholm. WSJ reported that Swedish citizens were shocked when, due to gang violence, the wife of a gang member was shot and killed on the street while holding her infant child.
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