New Europol report shows: dismantled networks are quickly replaced by new ones

The fight against organised crime in Europe is having an impact – yet at the same time, criminal structures are evolving faster than ever. This is the conclusion reached by the latest Europol report “Decoding the EU’s most threatening criminal networks – Issue 2: The Blueprint of Criminal Opportunism”, which analyses the development of the most dangerous criminal networks within the European Union.

According to the report, law enforcement agencies have successfully dismantled the majority of the high-risk networks identified in 2024. Nevertheless, new networks are constantly emerging that specifically exploit digital technologies, global financial systems and geopolitical crises for criminal activities.

Successful law enforcement weakens criminal networks

Of the 821 particularly threatening criminal networks identified by Europol last year, 76 per cent are no longer considered to be in the highest threat category. According to the agency, this is attributable to coordinated investigations, joint task forces, financial investigations and international operations targeting key figures within the networks.

However, alongside successful police measures, organisational changes within the criminal underworld also play a role. Networks disband, restructure or merge into other groups. Whilst this alters their outward appearance, the underlying criminal ecosystems remain intact.

Crime is organised as a dynamic ecosystem

Europol no longer describes organised crime as an isolated gang structure, but as a highly interconnected system of cooperating actors. Within these ecosystems, new connections are constantly emerging, whilst existing groups react flexibly to changes.

Of the networks originally identified, 198 particularly resilient organisations continue to exist. At the same time, 533 new networks have emerged. This dynamic illustrates that, whilst successful law enforcement may dismantle individual structures, the underlying conditions persist and give rise to new actors.

Digital technologies are changing the threat landscape

A key focus of the report is the increasing digitalisation of organised crime. Criminal networks use encrypted communication platforms, digital marketplaces and, increasingly, artificial intelligence applications to organise their activities more efficiently and to hinder investigations.

At the same time, digital tools facilitate international cooperation between different criminal groups. Cybercrime is thus increasingly evolving from a distinct area of criminal activity into a cross-cutting technology that underpins almost all forms of organised crime – from drug trafficking and human trafficking to fraud and money laundering.

Financial systems remain a key target

Alongside digitalisation, Europol identifies the international financial system as one of the most important enablers of organised crime. Cryptocurrencies, complex money-laundering schemes and legitimate corporate structures are used to conceal criminal proceeds and channel them back into the legitimate economy.

This development increases the pressure on financial regulators, banks and businesses to detect suspicious transactions at an early stage and to consistently implement international compliance requirements.

More than law enforcement is required

According to Europol, a purely repressive approach to combating organised crime will no longer suffice in future. Rather, the focus must be placed more strongly on reducing opportunities for crime and increasing societal resilience.

Europol’s acting director, Jürgen Ebner, emphasises that every organisation that is dismantled weakens the criminal ecosystem. At the same time, however, the report shows how quickly emerging gaps are filled by new actors. It is therefore crucial to anticipate crime trends at an early stage through situational assessments, operational cooperation and technological innovation.

Themistos Arnaoutis, Chief of the Cypriot Police, also calls for a whole-of-society approach. In the long term, he argues, organised crime can only be effectively curbed through close cooperation between law enforcement agencies, governments and the private sector, as well as through investment in innovation, prevention and intelligence-led policing.

European cooperation is growing in importance

According to Europol, the criminal networks examined in the report comprise more than 400,000 members of 118 nationalities. They operate across borders and are active in areas including drug trafficking, cybercrime, human trafficking, financial crime and people smuggling.

Against this backdrop, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Magnus Brunner also regards stronger European cooperation as crucial. Whilst national competences remain in place, effective responses to transnational crime can only be developed at European level. The planned expansion of Europol’s mandate is therefore intended to speed up the exchange of information and enhance operational support for Member States.

Resilience as a strategic security objective

The Europol report makes it clear that organised crime is increasingly making use of the same technological developments as the business sector and public administration. Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, international financial structures and geopolitical crises not only create economic opportunities but also open up new vulnerabilities for criminal networks.

For public authorities, businesses and operators of critical infrastructure, this means that security strategies must be more strongly focused on resilience in future. Alongside traditional law enforcement, cybersecurity, financial transparency, public-private partnerships and the continuous exchange of information between public and private actors are becoming increasingly important. The Europol report thus emphasises that combating organised crime is increasingly a task for society as a whole, extending far beyond police measures.