27.11.23 – Suspected ringleader arrested in EUR 85 million VAT fraud scheme. Europol has supported an action across eight countries which targeted criminal groups under investigation for VAT fraud amounting to EUR 85 million. On 22 November, 59 searches were carried out, resulting in the arrest of one of the alleged ringleaders. Seizures included: a…
20.11.23 – More than 200 convicted in Italy’s maxi-trial involving the ‘ndrangheta crime syndicate. The defendants had been charged with crimes that include drug and arms trafficking, extortion and mafia association, a term in Italy’s penal code for members of organized crime groups. Others were charged with acting in complicity with the ’ndrangheta without actually…
On 16 November 2023, COLIBRI hosted its Steering Committee at the World Customs Organization (WCO) headquarters in Brussels and online to discuss and outline the roadmap for the project’s second phase. As part of the GIFP, COLIBRI II will aim to enable law enforcement agencies and criminal justice institutions with enhanced capacities for conducting regular…
13.11.23 – Decline in effectiveness of fincrime systems globally as countries lose trillions to organised crime, corruption – Basel AML Index finds. By Alisha Houlihan for AML Intelligence there has been a continued decline in the effectiveness of AML/CFT systems globally, according to an international report released today. Effectiveness scores dropped from the already low…
The 5th Expert Coordination Meeting of the COLIBRI Project took place from 6th to 10th November 2023, at the World Customs Organization (WCO) headquarters in Brussels. The event marked the launch of the project’s second phase, focusing on Monitoring and Controlling General Aviation (GA) in countries along illicit trafficking routes. Attended by 30 experts from…
The GIFP action ECO-SOLVE was unveiled as one of the EU’s new external action initiatives for tackling wildlife crime at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC)’s “Data and Wildlife Crime” side event on the margins of CITES 77th Steering Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, on 9 November 2023. In 2022, the European Commission tasked…
06.11.23 – Trailer filled with waste and dumped in Walsall suspected to be linked to ‘broader organised crime incident.’An investigation has been launched after a 40ft trailer filled with transfer station waste was found abandoned in Walsall. Walsall Council is now investigating what is has called a ‘major fly-tipping incident’. It is suspected to be…
