Europol Director Catherine de Bolle has announced a surge in organised crime in European countries.
She told Spiegel that its spread is being made more difficult by the increasing propensity for violence among criminals. According to de Bolle, writes In Europe, “organized crime is growing” and “exploits every weakness,” according to the DPA agency.
The head of Europol has drawn attention to the drug trade, which is growing in Europe and fueling violence. According to Europol, cocaine production is thriving in South and Central America, and Europe is literally overflowing with it.
“The situation is serious,” says de Bolle, noting that the trade in other drugs is also growing. She says that the money earned from drugs in Europe largely stays on the continent and is invested in local economies, and warns:
“This makes organized crime one of the greatest dangers of our time.”
According to Catherine de Bolle, police in Europe need the technology, powers and personnel to combat criminal networks, and “if we don't invest more, we will lose this fight.”
Europol has previously established that more than one-third of the most dangerous criminal groups in the EU launder their income through real estate. The agency also regularly reports on the interception of drug shipments from Latin America and the dismantling of drug trafficking networks in Europe.
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