Crime
796 Arrested in Massive EU Cyber Police Crackdown Against Organized Crime Across 26 Countries
The EMPACT Joint Action Day South East Europe 2024 (JAD SEE 2024) marked a significant victory against organized crime, leading to the arrest of 796 individuals and the initiation of 316 investigations. With over 31,000 officers deployed across 26 countries, the operation targeted human trafficking, drug smuggling, and other high-risk criminal activities.
The EMPACT Joint Action Day South East Europe 2024 (JAD SEE 2024) has achieved remarkable results, bringing together the collective forces of 31,109 officers from 26 countries. The operation led to 796 arrests, 316 new investigations, and the seizure of 442 weapons. This massive undertaking underscores the commitment of the European Union (EU) and its international partners to combat serious criminal threats across the region.
Uniting Forces Against Organized Crime
Coordinated from a central hub in Sarajevo, the operation leveraged the expertise and resources of EU member states, non-EU nations, and agencies such as Europol and INTERPOL. The focus of the JAD SEE 2024 extended to combating trafficking in human beings, migrant smuggling, drug and illegal firearms trafficking, and other high-risk criminal networks.
The scale of the operation was unprecedented, encompassing extensive checks on both the physical and online worlds, including the dark web and social media platforms. Special ‘cyber patrols’ involved not just law enforcement officers but also prosecutors from diverse jurisdictions, enhancing operational effectiveness.
Key Achievements:
- Arrests and Investigations: A total of 796 individuals were arrested, and 316 new investigations were launched.
- Weapons Seized: Authorities confiscated 442 illegal weapons.
- Vast Coverage: Officers performed 655,914 checks across entities, including 516,153 persons, 152,284 vehicles, and 4,985 postal packages.
Cross-Border Collaboration
The success of JAD SEE 2024 was driven by robust cross-border collaboration, including participation from the Western Balkan region, Moldova, Ukraine, and Türkiye. Europol played a crucial role by deploying experts and mobile offices to support on-the-ground operations and ensure real-time data sharing.
The operation also benefited from the EU4FAST project, which helped set up coordination centers and facilitated the involvement of EU Member States, INTERPOL, and other key organizations.
A Milestone for EMPACT
Informed by the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT), this operation demonstrated the power of collective action against serious international crime. By uniting forces under the motto “Uniting Forces Against Organized Crime,” JAD SEE 2024 has set a benchmark for intelligence-driven and collaborative approaches to tackling global criminal networks.
