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OLAF-Assisted Operation Dismantles Organisation Smuggling Refrigerant Gases
Within the framework of the biggest operation against trafficking of refrigerant gases (Operation Verbena), Spanish authorities were able to dismantle a criminal organisation that illicitly traded and smuggled the gases. The business is lucrative since the import of refrigerant gases (also called F-gases … Read more
Thomas Wahl
EU
OLAF
Environmental Crime
Joint Action Day “Arktos 3”
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
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
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
Report
Criminal Proceedings in the EU – the need for more procedural rights?
Thursday, 8 July 2021, 12.00-14.00 CEST, Zoom, organised by the Academy of European Law (ERA)
A webinar discussed the possible need for further procedural rights in the EU. Two distinguished defence lawyers active in the ECBA guided participants through the ideas on the future development and assessment of procedural rights in criminal proceedings. Participants mainly discussed the future EU path in the areas of pre-trial detention and the EAW, minimum standards in trials, and admissibility/exclusion of evidence. The debate contributed to the Conference on the Future of Europe. Read more
Cornelia Riehle LL.M.
EU
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
European Arrest Warrant
Ne bis in idem
Procedural Safeguards
Study Assesses Europol Reform Proposal
In a study for the EP’s LIBE Committee, Niovi Vavoula and Valsamis Mitsilegas from Queen Mary University of London assessed the Commission’s proposal on strengthening Europol’s mandate (→ eucrim 4/2020, 279). The study (published in May 2021) provides the EP with background information … Read more
EU
Europol
Law Enforcement Cooperation
Tech Foresight on Biometrics
On 14 and 15 April 2021, the first Technology Foresight Workshop on Scenario Analysis was held to explore, analyse, and discuss four socio-techno-economic scenarios for the year 2040 and their possible implications on the development of biometric technologies. The four different future scenarios consisted of … Read more
EU
Frontex
Action against Frontex Brought before the CJEU
On 25 May 2021, three NGOs (front-Lex, the Progress Lawyers Network, and Helsinki Monitor) submitted an action against Frontex to the CJEU (General Court). On behalf of two asylum seekers, the NGOs are accusing Frontex of complicity in human rights violations allegedly taking place at … Read more
EU
European Court of Justice (ECJ)
Frontex
ECA Report on Frontex
On 7 June 2021, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) published a special report analysing Frontex’s support to external border management. For the first time, the audit assessed whether Frontex carried out four out of its six primary activities effectively to implement European integrated border … Read more
EU
Frontex
New Frontex Operation in Serbia
On 16 June 2021, Frontex launched a new operation in Serbia. 44 standing corps officers from 14 countries helped detect criminal activities:Trafficking in human beings;Document fraud;Smuggling of stolen vehicles, illegal drugs, weapons, and excise goods;Potential terrorist threats.“Joint Operation Serbia ‒ … Read more
EU
Frontex
European Parliament Discussion on New Europol Regulation
Following the Commission’s Proposal of 9 December 2020 for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2016/794 (→ eucrim 4/2020, 279), European Parliament rapporteur Javier Zarzalejos (ES, EPP) published a draft report setting out a possible EP position on the Commission proposal on 10 May 2021. … Read more
EU
Europol
Trojan-Encrypted Device Reveals Criminal Activities
As a result of one of the largest operations against encrypted criminal activities at the beginning of June 2021, 800 suspects were arrested and over $48 million in various worldwide currencies and cryptocurrencies seized. Operation “TF Greenlight/Trojan Shield” was conducted by the US Federal … Read more
EU
Europol
Corruption
Organised Crime
Law Enforcement Cooperation
Europol TE-SAT 2021
On 22 June 2021, Europol published its EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) 2021, which gives an overview of terrorist attacks and terrorism-related arrests in the EU in 2020. For the TE-SAT reports for previous years, → eucrim 2/2020, 95; eucrim 2/2019, … Read more
EU
Europol
Terrorism
Policing in Cyberspace
On 25 June 2021, Europol published a spotlight report entitled “The Cyber Blue Line.” It sets out the challenges and issues involved in a growing area of police work dedicated to providing safety and security online. The two authors of the report, Mary … Read more
EU
Europol
Cybercrime
VAT Scammers Caught
An action day against massive VAT fraud in mid-May 2021 resulted in the arrest of 22 suspects. The scam involved using a series of so-called front companies in different EU Member States, with suspects pretending to trade goods that, in reality, actually remained in Spain. … Read more
EU
Europol
Eurojust
Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Judicial Cooperation
On 17 May 2021, Eurojust published a report on the impact of COVID-19 on judicial cooperation in criminal matters. It was based on 128 concrete requests sent to Eurojust between April and June 2020 ‒ when lockdowns in many countries created sudden and unexpected practical … Read more
EU
Corona
Eurojust
Judicial Cooperation