25.10.24 – Two Key Figures of Notorious Serbian Clan Arrested in Barcelona. The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), in collaboration with Europol and six other European partners, have arrested two senior members of the notorious Serbian “Vračar Clan”, dismantling a key faction of the group. The clan leader was apprehended in Barcelona on 18 October, followed by the arrest of his lieutenant on 22 October. Both were wanted for charges including murder, attempted murder and kidnapping of rival gang members in Serbia, Austria, Germany and Spain.
24.10.24 – Network smuggling migrants via Belarus busted in Poland. The Polish Border Guard, supported by Europol, has successfully targeted a large criminal network smuggling migrants from Belarus and Russia into the EU. The investigation was conducted within the framework of a Europol Operational Task Force, made up of authorities from Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine. A Europol expert supported the operation on the ground in Poland.
24.10.24 – 16 arrests as police target migrant smuggling across the Sava River. On a Europol-coordinated action day conducted on 22 October 2024 in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, law enforcement authorities from both countries arrested 16 migrant smugglers. The suspects are believed to be responsible for at least 12 incidents that saw a total of at least 159 migrants being smuggled from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia across the river Sava.
23.10.24 – Searches in Ireland and Spain targeting crime gang. A number of searches have been carried out in the Republic of Ireland and Spain as part of an investigation into transnational organised crime, gardaí (Irish police) have said. Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported the investigation is into the activities of the Hutch organised crime group. The group is suspected to be involved in money laundering across a number of jurisdictions. A property in Dublin was searched following a request from the Spanish authorities. Ten searches were conducted in Spain, with gardaí there to support the Guardia Civil (Spanish police). An officer from the Guardia Civil is in attendance at the search in Dublin.
23.10.24 – Malaysia charges 22 members of an Islamic business group, including its CEO, for organized crime. Twenty-two members of an Islamic business group, including its CEO, were charged Wednesday for being part of an organized crime group after hundreds of children believed to have been sexually abused were rescued last month from welfare homes linked to the group. Nasiruddin Mohamad Ali, CEO of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings, and his wife Azura Mohamad Yusof were among dozens detained last month as police investigations widened to include human trafficking and money laundering. Islamic authorities are also investigating GISB for deviant teachings linked to the banned Islamic cult Al Arqam.
