A Europol investigation has revealed that 731 criminal networks are active in Europe, involving more than 400,000 members of 118 different nationalities, the European police agency said on Friday.
The Europol study says gangs often operate across borders and in a highly professional manner, with 85% of them using legal business structures to carry out their crimes.
"These are no street gangs, these are corporations of crime," warned EU Internal Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner, presenting the report in front of journalists in Brussels.
The study said the groups are active across the entire spectrum of crime, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, fraud and money laundering, noting that they exploit digital and technological advances, global trade and geopolitical instability for their operations.
Two years ago, Europol presented the first comprehensive study on criminal networks in Europe. The follow-up study now shows that 76% of the networks are new. However, Europol identified a hard core of 198 gangs. Two years ago, 821 networks had been identified.
According to the experts, this change is not necessarily a sign of success on the part of investigators. It demonstrates how flexible the networks are and how quickly they reorganize themselves under pressure from police investigations, the agency said.
The "report shows clearly that organized crime in Europe is evolving fast and exploiting the openness and complexity of our interconnected world," said European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen in a statement.
"Becoming more adaptive, interconnected and deeply embedded in our societies, criminal networks are turning systemic vulnerabilities into criminal opportunities," Virkkunen said.
Whilst the arrest of key figures can destabilize a network, the report notes, new actors emerge to exploit the leadership vacuum.
It is therefore not enough to target key figures alone. Investigators must aim to dismantle criminal systems and plug gaps in their logistical, financial and digital infrastructure.
Europol reform planned
Earlier this week, the European Commission presented plans to reform the mandate of Europol to better fight cross-border organized crime by improving cooperation with national authorities.
The changes intend to support joint investigations, swifter prosecution and data exchange as criminals increasingly abuse artificial intelligence, the commission said at the time.
Europol is to receive its own cloud infrastructure to allow police across the EU to virtually work together on cases, and an innovation hub to make sure that police officers have the required skills.
In a separate proposal, the commission asked member states to increase the agency's budget by around €1 billion ($1.14 billion) over the coming years. The workforce is set to grow from just over 1,200 to 2,100.
