Search and filter

News Guide

Region
Foundations
Institutions 1 selected
Specific Areas of Crime
Procedural Criminal Law
Cooperation

Publication

Year
Type
Clear all

News

151 results

Joint Action Day “Arktos 3” 
29 July 2021 (updated 5 years, 2 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
During the Joint Action Day “Arktos 3” carried out in June 2021, law enforcement authorities in seven EU Member States succeeded in seizing more than 6.7 million cigarettes, and 2.6 tonnes of raw tobacco, along with half a tonne of illegal drugs. 15 smugglers were … Read more
EU OLAF Europol Eurojust Frontex Tax Evasion
OLAF Helps Knock Down Rum Smugglers 
29 July 2021 (updated 5 years, 2 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
With the support of OLAF, law enforcement authorities in Spain, the Netherlands, Honduras, and Guatemala succeeded in stopping the activities of a criminal group that smuggled fake rum from Central America via the Netherlands to Spain. OLAF reported on 6 July 2021 that the network … Read more
EU OLAF Tax Evasion
OLAF Supported Strike against Illegal Cigarette Production 
29 July 2021 (updated 5 years, 2 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 22 July 2021, OLAF reported on a successful strike against a criminal network that illegally produced and sold cigarettes. The operation dubbed “Alecrín” mainly involved Spanish and Portuguese law enforcement authorities and already started in 2019. Targeted enforcement activities were carried out between May … Read more
EU OLAF Tax Evasion
Spotlight Working Arrangement between EPPO and OLAF Signed 
6 July 2021 (updated 3 years, 10 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl in Issue 2/2021
On 5 July 2021, European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi and OLAF Director-General Ville Itälä signed a working arrangement that sets out the future operational cooperation between the EPPO and OLAF. The agreement can be considered an important milestone since both offices are mandated to … Read more
EU OLAF European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) Protection of Financial Interests
Operation Silver Axe VI against Illegal Pesticides 
29 June 2021
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 17 June 2021, OLAF and Europol reported on the results of the annual operation “Silver Axe”. The operation, which was coordinated meanwhile for the sixth time, targets the global trade in counterfeit and illegal pesticides. Pesticides are among the most regulated products in the … Read more
EU OLAF Europol
OLAF Helps Greek Authorities Seize Nearly 10 Million Contraband Cigarettes 
17 June 2021
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
At the end of May 2021, Greek authorities succeeded in seizing almost 10 million contraband cigarettes. The cigarettes were smuggled from China in suitcases. The action prevented the loss of around €2 million in excise duties and VAT. OLAF supported the operation by alerting the … Read more
EU OLAF Tax Evasion
OLAF Involved in Operation against Eel Trafficking 
17 June 2021 (updated 4 years, 2 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl in Issue 2/2021
OLAF participated in Operation Lake. This annual operation, which started five years ago, targets the smuggling of the protected European eel. The operation led to 52 arrests and the seizure of over 400 kg of eels valued at around €1.2 million. The authorities also detected new modi operandi used by criminal networks for the eel trafficking. Read more
EU OLAF Environmental Crime
Cooperation between OLAF and WCO on New Footing 
16 June 2021 (updated 5 years, 2 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 7 June 2021, OLAF Director-General Ville Itälä and the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Kunio Mikuriya, signed a new agreement enhancing cooperation between the two bodies. The new “Administrative Cooperation Arrangement” widens the scope and operational possibilities of a … Read more
EU OLAF Customs Cooperation
OLAF Activity Report 2020 
16 June 2021 (updated 4 years, 2 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl in Issue 2/2021
On 10 June 2021, OLAF published its activity report for 2020. The report highlights that OLAF’s work was much marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, when OLAF had to act against fake and substandard medical products which risked floating the EU market especially at the … Read more
EU OLAF
OLAF Supports Successful Raids against Counterfeiters 
12 April 2021
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 30 March 2021, OLAF informed the public about successful raids in Belgium and Germany against counterfeiters. Supported by OLAF, a raid in a warehouse in Antwerp, Belgium brought to light hundreds of counterfeit sports shoes and textiles with premium labels. Over €25,000 in cash … Read more
EU OLAF Counterfeiting & Piracy
Millions of Counterfeit Toys Confiscated 
1 April 2021 (updated 7 months, 3 weeks ago)
Cornelia Riehle LL.M. Cornelia Riehle LL.M. in Issue 1/2021
On 8 March 2021, OLAF and Europol reported on an operation that resulted in the seizure of close to five million toys with a total value exceeding €16 million.Between October 2020 and January 2021, Operation LUDUS ran across 24 countries (20 EU Member States … Read more
EU OLAF Europol
Hits against Illegal Tobacco Trade in 2020 
20 March 2021 (updated 4 years, 6 months ago)
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
In a press release issued on 14 January 2021, OLAF took stock of successful operations against illegal tobacco trade in 2020. In 20 operations, national customs and law enforcement authorities were able to seize nearly 370 million cigarettes that were foreseen for the black … Read more
EU OLAF
OLAF Investigated Irregularities in Funding Agricultural Activities in Slovakia 
20 March 2021
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 21 January 2021, OLAF reported on three cases that were closed in 2020 involving irregularities in agricultural funds in Slovakia. The three cases concerned direct payment applications made between 2013 and 2019 by several Slovakian companies. Investigations found that the conditions to receive … Read more
EU OLAF Eurojust
OLAF Discovers Fraud in Bulgarian Ministry and Signs Cooperation Arrangement with Bulgarian Prosecutor 
20 March 2021
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 1 February 2021, OLAF informed the public that it closed investigations into fraud and misappropriation of EU funds detected within the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior. In the case at issue, the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior received money from the EU Internal Security Fund … Read more
EU OLAF European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO)
OLAF Supports Raid in Poland against Illegal Business in Medical Products 
20 March 2021
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 3 February 2021, OLAF reported that Polish police successfully raided premises of a criminal gang that did business with counterfeit and illegal pharmaceutical products. OLAF coordinated the operation which also involved authorities in France and Italy. Investigations revealed that an internationally operating organised … Read more
EU OLAF
OLAF Signs Cooperation Arrangement with Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine 
20 March 2021
Thomas Wahl Thomas Wahl
On 11 February, OLAF Director-General Ville Itälä and the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova signed an administrative cooperation agreement (ACA). It will allow a more effective and targeted exchange of information between OLAF and the Ukraine’s General Prosecutor’s Office. OLAF now have 31 ACAs … Read more
EU OLAF