Organisation: Europol

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Gardaí have been assembling their file for the DPP since details emerged in 2024 of a major international operation involving the interception of the 'Ghost' encrypted communication system. Picture: iStock</p>

court and crime

Gardaí want charges brought against ‘The Family’ drug gang

An Garda Síochána has sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking charges against the leaders of Ireland’s number one drug-trafficking network

<p>Spanish police divers on a drone submarine they intercepted in Aldan, north western Spain, in November 2019: An early instance of illegal drone technology, increasingly being used by criminal gangs. For more, see the links at the foot of this article. Picture: Lalo R Villar/AFP/Getty</p>

court and crime

'We must match drone and robot tech that criminals and terrorists are using' – Europol

<p>The Europol headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. Europol said the operation is the latest law enforcement initiative to 'disrupt the activities of high-risk criminal organisations' operating across the world. Picture: AP</p>

court and crime

Major Irish drug trafficking network hit by garda operation targeting encrypted phones

comment-analysis

EU should not ‘declare war’ on citizens over rise in drug violence

Hacker using laptop. Hacking the Internet.

court and crime

AI-generated child abuse imagery will proliferate extortion of minors, report warns

court and crime

Gardaí take part in Interpol art trafficking operation — 85 arrested and 6,400 items seized

Over 2,000 items of anti-semitic content identified online in Europe-wide policing operation

An Garda Síochána led the investigation in Ireland and carried out operations taking down online anti-semitic content that has resulted in at least one prosecution

Fri, 05 Jul, 2024

Ireland takes part in international police operation to identify child sex abuse victims

The colossal undertaking took place over two weeks and has already resulted in four children being identified and safeguarded

Fri, 24 May, 2024

Almost 20 Irish crime gangs identified as threats to EU security

There are just under 20 Irish gangs among 820 criminal networks identified in a landmark European Union report as posing the greatest threat to the internal security of the bloc.

Sat, 06 Apr, 2024

Top European crime gangs earning up to €1bn a year

Networks posing greatest threat

Fri, 05 Apr, 2024

Irish gangs among the major crime groups posing a security threat to Europe

The examination of the EU’s top gangs is based on national figures provided by the 27 member states, including Ireland

Fri, 05 Apr, 2024

Irish drug gangs among 800 groups threatening EU security

The use of Ireland as an export country of a shipment can significantly lower its assessed risk in the eyes of customs agencies in the destination country

Fri, 08 Mar, 2024

Two men due in Cork court in connection with international human trafficking operation

The two men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested by gardaí last Saturday

Thu, 07 Mar, 2024

Two arrested in Kerry as crystal meth worth €32.8m seized in Port of Cork

It is believed the half a tonne of suspected methamphetamine seized on Friday morning was due to be exported to Australia

Sat, 17 Feb, 2024

Head of Europol offers expertise to help fight crime and terrorism in Ireland

Catherine De Bolle said there was a 'shared concern' across the EU at the threats posed online by harmful content, disinformation, and hate speech

Sun, 11 Feb, 2024

Customs officers at Irish airports seized almost 300kg of cannabis during EU-coordinated operation

Customs officers at Cork, Shannon and Dublin airports seized almost 300kg of cannabis and an array of other drugs as part of an EU-coordinated operation targeting the trafficking of drugs into European airports from the Americas.

Wed, 07 Feb, 2024

Memorial for opiod overdose victims of Broome County, New York

Collapse in heroin production may cause new wave of deadly opioids

The Taliban clampdown, and Irish gangs' new links with Mexican cartels could precipitate an avalanche of deadly opioids in Europe including Ireland

Wed, 24 Jan, 2024

Gardaí target criminals manufacturing firearms

Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau carried out two searches, one in rural Wexford and the other in Roscommon

Tue, 05 Dec, 2023

Gardaí join EU operation to counter extremist content on TikTok

Last week, TikTok revealed it shut down a network of accounts designed to spread disinformation and division in Ireland.

Fri, 06 Oct, 2023

Balkan gang linked to Ireland's biggest cocaine haul of 2023

163kgs of cocaine concealed inside hidden compartment in roof of a horsebox

Sat, 15 Jul, 2023

Archaeological treasures seized in Ireland as part of Europe-wide Interpol art-trafficking raids

Interpol said 'some 130 investigations are still ongoing, as a result of which more seizures and arrests are anticipated as investigators around the globe go after those spoiling and destroying cultural heritage'

Thu, 04 May, 2023

Gardaí assist in major international operation to bring down notorious hacker group

The Hive Ransomware group is believed to have extorted hundreds of millions of dollars from victims across the world

Fri, 27 Jan, 2023

Almost 2,500 people arrested worldwide for money-laundering through money mules

Operation from mid-September to end of November netted €17.5m in intercepted money, with 4,089 fraudulent transactions identified across the world

Mon, 05 Dec, 2022

Mikolaj Wilk: Questions remain over savage murder that shocked a nation

After almost four-and-a-half years of painstaking investigation, which included liaison with Europol and Interpol, gardaí in Cork are poised to submit a vast and detailed file on the brutal machete murder of Mikolaj Wilk to the DPP

Thu, 13 Oct, 2022

Gardaí carry out 126 searches in two days for EU-wide operation targeting human trafficking

Almost 490 possible victims of different types of exploitation were identified across 29 states.

Thu, 14 Jul, 2022

Terrorism in Ireland: Decline in dissident republican arrests but jihadist activity on the increase

New report underlines the changing profile of terrorism-related arrests in Ireland over the last 10 years

Wed, 13 Jul, 2022

State cybersecurity body and HSE take part in Europe-wide simulated attack

Exercise tested participants’ response to simulated major cyberattack on health services and infrastructures

Fri, 10 Jun, 2022

Gardaí in US and Colombia help to investigate drug cartels

Garda liaison officers in Bogotá and Washington DC will help crack international gangs behind the €10.5bn European cocaine trade

Fri, 06 May, 2022

Private patient data to appear on the dark web from today

Government pledges to support anyone affected as cybercriminals seek to monetise stolen personal information

Mon, 24 May, 2021

Cocaine trafficking at 'unprecedented' levels

Europol report finds 'booming' cocaine market in Europe has led to 'unprecedented quantities of cocaine' being trafficked to the EU from Latin America

Mon, 12 Apr, 2021

Businessman hand using laptop and mobile phone in office

EU police spy on 70,000 encrypted phones

Police in Belgium, France and the Netherlands spied on live messages of suspected gangland criminals on supposedly secret phone messaging apps

Thu, 11 Mar, 2021

Cocaine trade 'rocketing' warns top EU drug official after Cork seizure

Cocaine trafficking from South America into Europe is “rocketing” and the money spent on it by Irish users is "going straight into the hands" of cartels.

Sat, 20 Feb, 2021

Irish family-based gang targeted in probe into €4m money laundering scheme

EU police agency believes funds are result of 'illegal activity across Europe'

Fri, 12 Feb, 2021

Irish Examiner view: Limerick gang now a global player

It is probably coincidental that, just as Justice Minister Helen McEntee told the Dáil that there are almost 1,000 outstanding bench warrants in Limerick, Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, has issued a warning about the infamous Rathkeale ...

Wed, 03 Feb, 2021

Gang violence poses 'threat to public security' in Europe

Some of the violence is being carried out in crowded public places and in broad daylight, said Europol.

Sat, 30 Jan, 2021

Gardaí take part in EU-wide virtual terrorism exercise

Europol tests law enforcement efforts to respond to a simulated extremist online crisis

Wed, 25 Nov, 2020

Gardaí to get 'electronic key' to intercept criminal gangs' encrypted messages

Laws are being drafted to give State agencies legal powers to intercept encrypted communications.

Sat, 04 Jul, 2020

Top-secret spying op sends shockwaves through organised crime gangs

A top-secret spying operation by a European police team has sent “shockwaves” through organised crime, including Irish gangs.

Thu, 02 Jul, 2020

Youth workers to advise young people about risky behaviours as teens begin to socialise again

Young people engaging in risky behaviours such as sexting may experience anxiety as Covid-19 restrictions ease and they begin to socialise again, the National Youth Council of Ireland has warned.

Thu, 25 Jun, 2020

Gardaí warn of ‘startling’ rise in reports of online child abuse

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has warned of a “startling and shocking” increase in referrals of online child abuse material during the lockdown.

Thu, 25 Jun, 2020

Europol: Ireland hit by surge of ‘right-wing extremism’

Ireland is among a number of European countries caught up in a worldwide “wave” of right-wing extremism, the EU police agency has said.

Wed, 24 Jun, 2020

Colm Horkan funeral: A thin blue line, bowed by grief but unbroken, links the nation

Gardaí around country turn out in force to lead somber tribute to colleague killed in line of duty

Mon, 22 Jun, 2020

EU sets up new Covid-19 company fraud unit at Europol

The EU has set up a unit of investigators to tackle an expected surge in financial crime in the economic downturn triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and crack down on defrauding of state subsidies.

Fri, 05 Jun, 2020

Investigators foil multimillion-euro face mask fraud

Thieves have attempted to steal millions of euros from German health authorities as they tried to buy face masks amid the global pandemic.

Tue, 14 Apr, 2020

Public warned to be careful when shopping online following ‘sophisticated’ Covid-19 fraud

Chief Supt Pat Lordan, of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau has warned the public not to click on links on social media when shopping online.

Tue, 14 Apr, 2020

New garda posts set for US and Colombia to fight organised crime

Two new senior garda posts are being created in the United States and Colombia as part of an expansion of the Garda’s fight against organised crime and terrorism.

Tue, 03 Mar, 2020

Seven arrested in PSNI money laundering investigation into assets worth £215m

Seven people have been arrested following an investigation into the international money laundering of criminal assets accumulating to approximately £215 million (€252m).

Tue, 21 Jan, 2020

Gardaí assist Europol in continent-wide operation targeting trade of counterfeit euro banknotes

Eight EU countries took part in the initiative which resulted in an array of illegal items being seized, including drugs, weapons, fake medicines as well as counterfeit notes.

Mon, 16 Dec, 2019

New terror laws still hit by delays

Long-awaited Government plans to update Ireland’s terrorism laws to include a range of offences, such as travelling abroad to join terrorist groups, are still not near to being published, it has emerged.

Fri, 06 Dec, 2019

Five arrested, 232 money mules identified in laundering investigation

The fifth European Money Mule Action (EMMA 5) took place between September and November of this year.

Wed, 04 Dec, 2019