Eurojust supports action against use of illegal emission devices in South Korean cars

Crime: Illegal emission devices are placed in more than 210 000 diesel cars produced by 2 South Korean companies. The devices are responsible for interfering with or disabling exhaust gas cleaning mechanisms, causing the vehicles to emit significantly more nitrogen oxides while in operation than legally permitted. Customers buying the vehicles are deceived as they are not informed that the vehicles fail to meet the emissions requirements.

Action: In an action day coordinated by Eurojust on 28 June 2022, business premises in eight properties across Germany and Luxembourg are searched. The searches are carried out by approximately 180 investigators in Germany, and 14 investigators in Luxembourg.

Result: Various pieces of evidence, including communication data, software and planning documents are seized.

Eurojust's Role: Eurojust enables the cooperation of the national authorities involved during the action day.

Takedown of infrastructure of call centres involved in online investment fraud responsible for losses of at least EUR 20 million

Crime: An international OCG commits online investment fraud by convincing victims online and by telephone to make payments to invest in cryptocurrencies. The OCG uses a large-scale IT infrastructure that includes tens of virtual servers, connected by computers in call centres.

The perpetrators install remote access programmes that allow them to illegally access the victims’ computers and steal their banking credentials. More than 30 000 people from around 71 countries (with roughly 522 victims registered in Estonia alone) are defrauded of at least EUR 20 million.

Action: Authorities in Finland, the Netherlands, Latvia, France, Germany and Ukraine support a joint operation on 21 April 2022 to disrupt and paralyse the criminal activities of the OCG.

Result: More than 50 servers are seized (taken down and data copied), in Finland, the Netherlands, Latvia, France and Germany.

Eurojust's Role: Eurojust facilitates judicial cooperation by setting up and funding a JIT. Two coordination meetings are organised to coordinate the national investigations and prepare for the action day. To support the action day, Eurojust sets up a coordination centre to enable rapid cooperation between the involved judicial authorities.