Europol: Almost all forms of organized crime have a digital connection

The DNA of organized crime is changing fundamentally. The EU police authority Europol warns of this in its report on the threat posed by organized crime published on Tuesday. According to the report, crime is no longer tied to traditional structures as it was in the days of the Mafia and Camorra. Instead, it has "adapted to a world characterized by global instability, digitalization and new technologies". Crime finds a fertile breeding ground online: "Digital infrastructures drive criminal operations and enable the expansion and adaptation of illegal activities at an unprecedented speed."

Almost all forms of serious and organized crime now have a digital footprint, whether as a tool, target or facilitator, according to the Situation Assessment 2025. From cyber fraud and ransomware to drug trafficking and money laundering, the internet has become "the main arena for organized crime". Networks are also increasingly exploiting the digital infrastructure to conceal their activities from law enforcement authorities. At the same time, data "is becoming the new currency of power – is being stolen, traded and exploited by criminal actors".

AI-supported social engineering and big crime data

AI in particular is massively expanding the scope of organized crime, Europol emphasizes. Criminals are generally quick to abuse new technologies and use them as a catalyst and amplifier. The technology helps criminals to automate and expand operations. The office identifies cyberattacks such as ransomware or DDoS, which target critical infrastructures, governments, companies and individuals, as the fastest growing threats. Online fraud attempts are being driven by AI-supported social engineering and access to huge amounts of data. There is also no decrease in the sexual exploitation of children online, with generative AI facilitating the production of abuse material and online grooming.

"Violence linked to organized crime is on the rise in several Member States and is spilling over into society as a whole", Europol sounds the alarm. This phenomenon is "driven by encrypted communication tools and online platforms that facilitate borderless recruitment, extortion and coordination".

Europol chief Catherine De Bolle therefore called for "regulated encryption" as early as 2021. With this in mind, tech companies should develop "sensible, technically feasible solutions" and deliver plain text wherever possible. According to the report, digital amplification tactics currently allow criminal networks to expand, maximize profits and strengthen their resilience. To break this cycle, law enforcement would need to target key criminal markets and "their underlying mechanisms".

(wpl)