International
Europol identifies 821 “threatening” criminal networks in the EU, many active in Spain
The Europol agency has identified 821 “very threatening” organized crime networks in the European Union, many of them active in Spain among other countries, in a report published this Friday, the first that analyzes in depth the details that make these organizations so dangerous.
The study, presented in Brussels, is based on the data provided by EU Member States and other countries and is a “step” to understand how these networks work and what their basic capabilities are, Europol said.
In Spain they operate networks integrated by nationals of Eastern countries, as well as Belgian-Dutch, Baltic, Romanian or Polish, among others.
“Each of the 821 most threatening criminal networks identified is unique. They vary significantly in terms of composition, structure, criminal activity, territorial control, duration over time, types of cooperation and a variety of other dimensions,” the document says.
However, there are some common characteristics that make them especially “threatening,” starting with their infiltration into the legal system, which make a network “omnipresent and destructive.”
In fact, more than 80% of active criminal networks in the EU misuse legal business structures (LBS) for their criminal activities.
The data show that these structures are infiltrated or used by criminal networks “in almost all sectors, including tourism, recycling, welfare and sports associations, as well as in retail and cultural activities.”
Three sectors are particularly affected by infiltration or criminal abuse: construction, hospitality and logistics, that is, transport and import and export companies.
Another characteristic of the most dangerous organizations is their “agility” to “infiltrate extensively” and the application of strategies that allow them to endure over time.
In addition, “they have no borders”, their scope is international as well as the members that make them up, although they often limit their criminal activity to a region or a limited number of countries.
About how they are directed, Europol explains that although there is usually a strong leadership close to operations, it is also possible to maintain control remotely.
They tend to specialize in a main business and operate with a wide degree of independence.
As for their activity, half of these organizations are involved in drug trafficking as their main business, although they are also dedicated to fraud, property-related crimes, migrant and human trafficking.
Money laundering is mainly done through the real estate sector (this is the case in 41% of cases).
Other common money laundering techniques include investments in high-value goods such as gold and luxury goods (27%), the use of cash-intensive businesses, for example in the hotel sector (20%) and the use of cryptocurrencies (10%).
As an example, the report cites the case of an Italian businessman of Argentine origin based in Marbella who uses his companies to hide both drug trafficking and money laundering activities.
Among those he directs is one that imports bananas from Ecuador to the EU and also has sports centers in Marbella, shopping centers in Granada and multiple bars and restaurants.
An Albanian accomplice of his, based in Ecuador, is in charge of the import of cocaine from Colombia to Ecuador and its subsequent distribution to the EU.
According to Europol, Ecuadorian fruit companies are used as a facade for these criminal activities.
Although not all networks use violence and corruption, doing so increases their level of threat.
There are other elements to better understand how they work but that do not necessarily make them more dangerous, starting with their structure.
Most are organized in a hierarchical way, and although strong leadership is important, it is not necessarily linked to specific individuals and in some cases it is replaceable (by inheritance, delegation or reorganization) and continues even after the sentence.
As for the nationalities of the members, the report points to the existing “great variety” and emphasizes that, in addition to the common criminal objective, “criminal networks are formed and persist due to a strong social cohesion,” something that also serves to attract young people.
When fighting them, Europol indicates, “not only the main criminal activities, but also the support and subsidiary activities that allow and support the networks and allow them to last long periods,” as well as the need for “international and interregional cooperation” must be examined.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
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