30.06.23 – 33 arrested as global money laundering service is shut down. This morning authorities in Italy and Spain arrested 33 suspects in a coordinated action against a globally active money laundering criminal network. The alleged perpetrators, who are of Italian, Albanian, Colombian, Moroccan, and Syrian nationality, had built up an international network of companies to launder dirty money. As a so-called “money laundering network controller”, the criminal network offered a professional criminal service to veil the origin of proceeds generated by illegal drug trafficking from South America.
01.06.23 – 1 426 potential victims identified in global operation against human trafficking. Between 8 and 15 May 2023, a global action targeting human trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced begging and forced criminality took place in 44 countries (25 EU Member States and 19 non-EU countries*). Operation Global Chain, which included the EMPACT Joint Action Days against human trafficking, was led by Austria, co-led by Romaniaand coordinated by Europol, Frontex and INTERPOL. The joint actions involved a wide range of law enforcement authorities including police, immigration and border control agencies, transport police, social services and child protection services.
01.06.23 – Poland and Spain take down gang hiding drugs worth millions in fruit and veg crates. In yet another victory on the war on drugs, law enforcement in Spain and Poland have taken down with Europol’s support an international drug trafficking organisation suspected of bringing into Poland vast amounts of drugs hidden in lorries of fruit and vegetables.
02.06.23 – UN says organised crime shifting drugs routes in Southeast Asia. The synthetic drugs market in Southeast and East Asia is becoming more diverse, the United Nations has warned, and drug trafficking syndicates are using new smuggling routes to ship large quantities of methamphetamine and other drugs throughout the region. Close to 151 tonnes of methamphetamine was seized in Southeast and East Asia last year, as well as a record 27.4 tonnes of ketamine, marking a 167 percent increase in the seizure of the powerful sedative compared to 2021, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on Friday.
03.06.23 – Richard Wakeling from Brentwood jailed after extradition from Thailand. Richard Wakeling, 55, from Brentwood, Essex, arrived back in the country on Thursday evening and appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday afternoon, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said, adding that he was immediately jailed for 11 years after being convicted in his absence.The NCA said Wakeling was found guilty of trying to import £8 million worth of amphetamine suspended in liquid in 2016, but fled the UK on the eve of his trial in 2018.
