11/10 – Belgium to step up fight against organised crime, as analyst warns war on drugs is lost. The Belgian government is stepping up its fight against organised crime and the drug smuggling that goes with it by hiring more customs agents at the Port of Antwerp. As Europe’s second largest port, millions of shipping containers pass through its gates every year, which is why it is often called the gateway to the continent, alongside the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
11/10 – Quebec casinos, gaming halls still vulnerable to money laundering by organized crime, experts say. Quebec casinos and gaming halls are still easy targets for organized crime, with millions of dollars in dirty money likely being funnelled through the government-run venues, experts warn. According to Loto-Québec data obtained by CBC/Radio-Canada, the provincially owned corporation reported nearly $420 million in large cash transactions to Canada’s anti-money laundering watchdog over the past six years.
13/10 – Hundreds of firearms and 12.6 tonnes of drugs seized in Caribbean operation. A joint firearms operation between INTERPOL and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) has led to the seizure of some 350 weapons, 3,300 rounds of ammunition and record drug hauls across the Caribbean. Operation Trigger VII (24 – 30 September) saw officers from 19 countries coordinate controls at airports, seaports, land border and inland hotspots, acting on intelligence pointing to organized crime groups and individuals involved in firearms trafficking. They also searched warehouses, inspected packages and carried out targeted checks at firearms dealerships, shooting ranges and private security companies.
14/10 – ELN Keeps Fighting in Key State Despite Peace Talk Plans with Colombia Government. The ELN has continued to be involved in clashes in Colombia’s eastern department of Arauca, casting a shadow on its pledge to cease violent actions ahead of peace talks with the government.
14/10 – Europol supports Spanish authorities in taking down Europe’s biggest narco bank. With the support of Europol and Eurojust, the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) have dismantled an organised crime group believed to be running Europe’s biggest ‘narco-bank’. Composed mainly of Syrian nationals, the criminal network running this ‘bank’ provided financial services to criminal organisations linked to drug trafficking in more than twenty countries. Active since 2020, this criminal gang is believed to have laundered over EUR 300 million per year.
