The Internet and AI facilitate and accelerate the dynamics of organized crime. Away from the decrease, the threat increases. Europol Sorta 2025 was published on TuesdayA report that explores the development of crime and crime in the European Union, and Emphasis on digital space as one of the biggest challenges.
Paul Catherine, CEO of Europol, confirmed during the presentation of the report The “digital weapons profession” that seeks to attack individuals, governments and private companies live. Geopolitical instability often deserves to expand its influence, but its economic or ideological motives are increasingly spread.
“DNA organized crime changes. Criminal networks have become global criminal companies Divided with technology, digital platforms, illegal financial flows and geopolitical instability to expand its impact. He warned against Paul.
According to the document, the effect on society is weak. Online crime shakes the stability of European society at the economic and social level, and Hybrid threats increaseThat is, those coordinated and synchronous measures that seek to destabilize weaknesses in countries or institutions. Technological progress has preferred an increase in unprecedented development.
“DNA organized crime changes. Criminal networks have become global criminal companies”
Las Online fraud and electronic attacks have become the main threats. From fraud in investment, Huntingand ransom Or theft of identities. Artificial intelligence is used to automate electronic attacks, which have become a new criminal weapon. Dynamics Reproduction S. Deepfakes Used to replace the identity, or many Robots The mechanism that generates huge attacks from Hunting. In order to hide malicious transactions, the crime deserves the use of cryptocurrency or cryptocurrency, and all this causes a Si growth of decentralized financing, which, in turn, hinders the identification of criminals.
Criminal groups and representative representatives are establishing strategic alliances that allow them to benefit from resources, knowledge and mutual protection. Although the economic incentive is a decisive factor, their cooperation with these actors goes beyond just getting profits.
In some cases, some countries offer safe shelters to criminal organizations in exchange for their services, allowing them to work without legal restrictions. In addition, they use these networks as two mediators to avoid their direct participation in illegal activities, and the crimes of external sources such as electronic attacks, misinformation and money laundering campaigns, which complicate the identification of officials.
Drug trafficking
he Drug smuggling still places itself at the top of the criminal market. Cocaine and new traffic methods are the main in Europe, and there is also an increase in artificial drug production and the arrival of new opiates.
also Increases the violence of these criminal groups. The use of firearms or explosives grew, and Violence as a service “oh” crime as a service “, That is, Haytamin rented through Deep. It is concerned, in this sense, to employ young people through, for example, from social networks.
How to make a carpenter
Often, some accidents are initially evaluated as isolated events, such as sabotage of critical infrastructure such as water or energy supply, or the fires caused or kidnapped. However, the document warns of the possibility that these accidents are carried out by criminal networks in the name of hybrid threat representatives, as part of a The goal of destabilizing strategic stability. Instead of carrying out one mass attack, many are created to expand their consequences.
Report It indicates this form as the “carpenter’s bird”, After borrowing a bird, the tree weakens through repeated strikes during the time. Mixed threats, in this way, generate continuous measures with less effect, but that as a whole enhances stability.
Criminal activity often depends on legal companies to launder money. From ghost companies to coverage, financial fraud or the movement of illegal goods multiplies. Some of the sectors most involved in these dynamics are construction, hospitality or transportation.
The immigration crisis, in the continuous increase, also requires a different criminal escape, such as documentary falsehood. Likewise, money laundering or trade in illegal products is still the engine of these criminal groups.
Among the strategic proposals, EURPOL emphasizes the effort in cooperation between member states and third parties, and emphasizes the need for occasion cooperation with technology companies. In this sense, the implementation of a tougher regulation of the digital environment is proposed, and to control artificial intelligence and even social networks.
Like criminals, they use technological progress, and their use can be reversed. Artificial intelligence can be used to discover financial crime patterns, in completing international criminal databases to improve cooperation between countries. In short, it appears that the largest investment in cybersecurity is necessary to protect critical infrastructure.
