60 https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-and-euipo-continue-cooperation-wb-and-eap-regions-against-intellectual-property-crime https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/group-photo-eippn-workshop.png Group picture participants Held with the support of the WBCJ and EU4IP projects, the meeting strengthened cooperation with practitioners from the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership region and EU Member States. Building on the first edition organised in 2025, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), in cooperation with Eurojust through the Western Balkans Criminal Justice (WBCJ) Project, held its second joint inter-regional meeting on investigating and prosecuting intellectual property crime in Alicante, Spain. Eurojust was represented by the National Member for Germany, Jan MacLean, as Contact Point for the WBCJ Project.The meeting brought together prosecutors and practitioners from Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia,… Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0200 28d2227a-db6a-40a6-9ac9-e1c66dfca720 Third countries WB CRIM JUST https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/serbian-prosecutor-general-visits-eurojust https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/serbian-prosecutor-general-visits-eurojust.png Serbian Prosecutor General visits Eurojust Eurojust President Michael Schmid welcomed Zagorka Dolovac, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Serbia, for a visit supported by the WBCJ Project. The visit included meetings with several Eurojust National Desks and highlighted Serbia’s growing cooperation with Eurojust, including 82 new cases between September 2025 and August 2026 and participation in nine Joint Investigation Teams. The visit was also an opportunity to reaffirm the support of Eurojust and the WBCJ Project for cross-border cases involving Serbian authorities, including several ongoing JITs with EU Member States and other countries in the region. Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0200 26e28fd0-2f5f-4cba-b5f6-5cc9145721a8 Third countries WB CRIM JUST https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/money-laundering-scheme-involving-eur-45-million-exposed https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/bnanknotes.jpg Banknotes The Italian and German authorities, in collaboration with Eurojust, have uncovered a money laundering scheme involving the diversion and misuse of grants and funding intended for a sports association for personal gain. During actions on 3 September, assets worth EUR 7 million were seized as a preventive measure. Italian authorities are investigating three individuals involved in the money laundering, one of whom was the former legal representative of the sports association. The investigation revealed that between 2018 and 2024, this representative laundered money received from grants and funding from universities, public organisations and national sports bodies.A second fake sports association was used to misappropriate the funds. Through bank transfers and cash withdrawals, funds were diverted from the legitimate sports association. During the final months of the suspect’s tenure as legal… Fri, 04 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0200 46ea93c0-719d-4a86-baff-d7d4a02a303b Money laundering Germany Italy https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-cooperation-iraq-supports-landmark-terrorism-conviction-slovenia https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/slovenia-iraq-justice.jpg stock image A recent ruling in Slovenia marked the first judgment in the country in which an asylum seeker was sentenced to five years in prison for membership of a foreign terrorist organisation. The judgement is not yet final. Eurojust provided swift support to the Specialised State Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Slovenia in obtaining crucial evidence from Iraq, making use of the recently signed Working Arrangement with the National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation (NCIJC) of the Republic of Iraq. The cooperation enabled the necessary evidence to be obtained within a tight timeframe, before the maximum period for the accused’s remand in custody expired. In a recent ruling, the Ljubljana District Court found an Iraqi national and applicant for international protection in Slovenia guilty of having been a member of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organisation in Iraq in 2016.The accused first arrived in Slovenia in March 2019. After applying for international protection in Slovenia, he travelled to Germany on two occasions but was returned to Slovenia. Slovenian authorities subsequently opened an investigation, supported by information exchanged through international law enforcement cooperation, including with INTERPOL and the United States… Thu, 03 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0200 a0f1fb0f-84d0-4a0b-914d-4f188aebac87 Terrorism Slovenia Third countries https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/international-drug-trafficking-network-halted-seven-arrests https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/ro-drug-case-web.jpg police in action Cooperation on an intricate criminal investigation has led to the interception of drug shipments across Europe with a market value of EUR25million. The network offered drug transport services to other criminal groups as a form of ‘crime as a service’. Eurojust coordinated judicial cooperation during parts of the investigation. An action day in Romania led to the arrest of seven suspected members of the network. On 24 August, Romanian authorities searched 16 premises across the country, collecting important evidence. The evidence indicates that the drug trafficking network began operating in September 2023. Through a pyramid structure, the group made significant profits by providing drug transport services to other criminal groups. They transported large quantities of drugs from Spain to various other European countries. The drugs were transported in trucks with hidden compartments. To hide their profits, they set up legal companies as a front. If truck drivers were caught trafficking drugs, the… Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0200 1c88ad05-e0b5-4b05-b072-39132a2e915d Drug trafficking Organised crime France Germany Italy Romania Spain Europol https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/growing-number-data-requests-and-complex-legal-landscape-among-key-challenges-accessing https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/sirius-electronic-evidence-situation-report-2025.png cover image publication Read publicationThe SIRIUS Electronic Evidence Situation Report presents the current challenges law enforcement, judicial authorities and service providers face when accessing electronic evidence. The report also looks at the EU e-Evidence legislative package that will make it easier and faster to obtain evidence, while safeguarding fundamental rights. Over half of all criminal investigations today include a request for cross-border access to electronic evidence such as texts, e-mails or messages in apps. However, gaining access to electronic evidence presents significant legal and technical challenges. For instance, evidence may be stored in an unknown location, servers can be spread across different countries, and there are no harmonised deadlines for how long service providers have to preserve data or reply to legal requests.As the knowledge hub for cross-border access to electronic evidence, the SIRIUS Project (co-implemented by Europol… Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0200 63ab55c8-f0d5-4b51-8f02-e8fc08659eb9 Electronic evidence Europol Sirius https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/new-swiss-liaison-prosecutor-flavia-roy-starts-eurojust https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/flavia-roy-if.jpg Flavia Roy Flavia Roy has been appointed as the new Liaison Prosecutor for Switzerland. In her role, she will ensure that the Swiss authorities can work together with their counterparts from the EU on complex cross-border criminal investigations. She brings years of experience as a Public Prosecutor and Investigative Judge. Following her appointment, Flavia Roy commented: “I am delighted to have been appointed as a Liaison Prosecutor and am looking forward to this new challenge. I am excited about what lies ahead and am happy to remain part of the Eurojust family.”Flavia has already been working at Eurojust since November 2024 when she joined as Deputy Liaison Prosecutor. She recently was appointed to Eurojust’s Economic Crime Team, supporting specialised judicial experts in combating crimes such as swindling, fraud and money laundering.Before being stationed at Eurojust in The Hague, Flavia Roy served as a… Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0200 e46b5dcd-a4ba-4413-b6fc-85469aed8021 Switzerland https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-supports-arrest-high-value-target-suspected-smuggling-625-people-europe https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-migrant-europol-de-es.jpg Police near a car A high-value target suspected of smuggling over 600 migrants through the Balkan route was arrested following cooperation between German and Serbian authorities under the coordination of Eurojust and Europol. The suspect was arrested in Belgrade on 5 August. It is believed that he worked with other suspects to smuggle people into Germany and other Western European countries along the Balkan route. The group brought Syrian nationals into the European Union from Serbia via Hungary or from Bosnia and Herzegovina via Croatia. They were then transported in cars, vans or trucks through Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland or Austria to Germany and other countries.The smuggling network charged between EUR2000 and EUR10000 per person. The suspect arrested on 5 August played a… Thu, 06 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0200 f11f770f-b328-4dc5-8e15-958241c6b612 Migrant smuggling Organised crime Joint investigation teams Germany Europol Serbia https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/lukas-stary-new-national-member-czech-republic https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/mr-lukas-stary-if.jpg Lukáš Starý Lukáš Starý has been appointed as National Member for the Czech Republic, following his tenure as Deputy National Member, working on judicial cooperation for international criminal investigations involving his country. Commenting on his new role at Eurojust, Mr Starý said: ‘I accept my appointment as National Member for the Czech Republic with a deep sense of responsibility. I am returning to an environment I know intimately, one that, at the same time, continuously faces new challenges in cross-border crime and judicial cooperation. I look forward to building upon past achievements, working closely with both national and European partners, and leveraging my experience to contribute to Eurojust's vital work in ensuring justice across the Union.’Lukáš Starý has worked at Eurojust since 2011, in different… Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0200 fa0b0140-40ef-4811-8130-ee3137cbeb25 Czech Republic https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/new-liaison-prosecutor-moldova-alexandru-cladco https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/mr-alexandru-cladco-if.png Mr Alexandru Cladco Mr Alexandru Cladco has been appointed as the new Liaison Prosecutor for the Republic of Moldova at Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation. He has been seconded to Eurojust from the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova for a five-year term, in accordance with the 2025 legal provisions on the status of liaison prosecutors at Eurojust. Having joined the Agency in July 2026, Mr Cladco will help foster effective cooperation between the Moldovan authorities and their international counterparts, contributing to the successful coordination of cross-border criminal investigations.Commenting on his new joining at Eurojust, Mr Cladco said: ‘Assuming the role of Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust represents a great opportunity and an honour for me as a career prosecutor to play an active role in facilitating cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters between the Republic of Moldova and EU Member States and non-EU… Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 8ef82e35-97cf-433e-91c8-1e48532b332c Moldova https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/arrests-and-searches-light-human-trafficking-investigation https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/hands-press-release1.jpg Hands on glass Authorities took action in the Netherlands and Romania on 14 July in the context of a human trafficking investigation. Both countries work together in a joint investigation team coordinated by Eurojust. During the actions, four suspects were arrested in Amsterdam, including in the red-light district and two suspects were arrested in Romania simultaneously. Twelve searches took place in both countries, where information and evidence were gathered to further the investigation. The suspects are currently in custody.Authorities are working together during the investigation through a joint investigation team set up at Eurojust. Eurojust and Europol have supported the investigation since the start and will continue to do so following yesterday’s actions.The actions were carried out by the… Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 b66fb0e0-fc92-4deb-8508-cd4f6b5bd01a Trafficking in human beings Joint investigation teams Netherlands Romania Europol https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/interregional-training-joint-investigation-teams-eu-and-latin-american-prosecutors https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/training-on-jits-eu-latin-american-prosecutors.jpeg group picture On 2-3 July 2026, the EJOCN in cooperation with the JITs Network Secretariat and with the support ofEL PACCTO 2.0, organised an interregional training on Joint Investigation Teams (JITs), held at Eurojust. The training was addressed to specialised organised crime prosecutors from the EU and Latin America to provide capacity building on the use of JITs with a focus on their practical implementation in complex organised crime and drug trafficking investigations between these two regions. The training placed particular emphasis on the interregional dimension of cooperation and the judicial… Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 0f30a041-7293-4e94-9c14-9c514e6e1410 Drug trafficking Organised crime Joint investigation teams EJOCN https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/western-balkans-and-eu-prosecutors-strengthen-cooperation-against-migrant-smuggling-vienna https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/western-balkans-and-eu-prosecutors-strengthen-cooperation-against-migrant-smuggling-in-vienna-2.jpeg Participants to meeting Prosecutors from the Western Balkans and EU Member States met in Vienna, Austria, on 7-8 July 2026 for the third meeting of the Western Balkans Subgroup of the Focus Group on Migrant Smuggling. The meeting brought together practitioners to strengthen judicial cooperation in the fight against migrant smuggling and related forms of organised crime. Hosted by the Austrian Ministry of Justice and chaired by the Chair of Eurojust’s Focus Group on Migrant Smuggling, the meeting was organised by the Western Balkan Criminal Justice project at Eurojust, with contributions from the EU4FAST project.Participants exchanged views on recent developments and practical challenges, including judicial cooperation issues, evolving criminal trends and innovative investigative approaches. Discussions focused on the prosecution of cross-border smuggling networks, cooperation through EMPACT, the use of drones for evidence gathering and the growing use of… Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 03790d94-a50e-48f3-a149-564c2ec6f3de Third countries WB CRIM JUST https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-supports-increased-cooperation-sky-ecc-investigations-among-france-and-western-balkans https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/paris-flying-bride.png Meeting photo Eurojust, through itsWestern Balkans Criminal Justice Project and in cooperation with Europol, has launched Operation Flying Bride, a new initiative that will coordinate cross-border investigations linked to Sky ECC evidence in the Western Balkans. A major operation to decrypt Sky ECC in March 2021 by Belgian, French and Dutch authorities, coordinated by Eurojust and Europol, unlocked hundreds of million of messages exchanged between criminals. Since then, judicial authorities and law enforcement have started hundreds of investigations around the world using Sky ECC evidence and were able to successfully take action against some of the world’s most dangerous criminal networks. The French National Desk at Eurojust have supported the execution of many judicial requests for Sky ECC data. To coordinate the judicial requests from the Western… Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 77841964-915e-467b-b1a1-d6ddaa7ad784 Organised crime France Europol WB CRIM JUST https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-supported-investigation-leads-arrest-individual-suspected-attempting-establish https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/pr08072026.jpg computer screen and keyboard German authorities, following close cooperation with Romanian authorities and supported by Eurojust, have arrested a suspect accused of attempting to establish a foreign right-wing extremist terrorist organisation. A Romanian and Moldovan national was arrested in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on 30 June 2026 on suspicion of attempting to establish a foreign right-wing extremist terrorist organisation. According to the investigation, the suspect allegedly sought to establish a terrorist group as early as 2023 with the aim of carrying out a "war of terror" in Romania and overthrowing the Romanian state.The suspect is alleged to have operated two encrypted messaging channels from Germany to recruit primarily young Romanian followers. Through these channels, the individual allegedly incited members to commit… Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 8d9f927e-e3dd-4d9c-84dc-ca81b28e79af Foreign terrorist fighters Terrorism Germany Romania https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/blow-international-drug-trafficking-network-20-arrests https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/press-release-7-7-2026.jpg stock image A coordinated operation taking place in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine has dealt a definitive blow to an international drug trafficking network. Authorities worked with Eurojust and Europol to uncover the group’s narcotics smuggling activities in Slovakia and Ukraine. The 20 individuals arrested during the action week are suspected of setting up an international cocaine and methamphetamine smuggling operation across Europe.The criminal group operated primarily in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine, where they systematically imported, exported, transported, stored and distributed methamphetamine and cocaine. The group was well organised, with different units responsible for various aspects of the drug trafficking activities, such as procurement, transport, distribution and managing financial flows.The drugs were transported from the Czech Republic to… Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 efc385e9-7ae9-40e5-aae0-e8e8e401f4af Drug trafficking Czech Republic Slovakia Europol Ukraine https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eur-1-million-seized-during-ongoing-investigation-money-laundering-network https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-gold-bars-case.jpg gold bars French and Italian authorities have continued to work together on an investigation into a money laundering network that uses gold bars to launder drug trafficking profits. Following an initial operation in which EUR 30 million was seized, criminal assets worth EUR 1 million were seized under the coordination of Eurojust and Europol, together with Kosovar authorities. The international criminal network had set up a sophisticated money laundering scheme whereby the illicit proceeds generated from drug trafficking in France were collected at a residence in Italy and converted into gold bars and gold sheets. This made it possible to hide the illicit origin of the proceeds and transport them easily to other countries, in particular Kosovo*, Türkiye and Morocco. During the 10-month investigation, authorities found that at least EUR18million had been laundered.A couple is currently under investigation in Italy for orchestrating the money… Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 692d7ff7-6089-4d3e-b5bd-6c84d5695347 Drug trafficking Money laundering Organised crime France Italy Europol Kosovo https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-supported-joint-investigation-leads-irelands-first-convictions-labour-trafficking https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-thb-labour-case.jpg tied hands A Eurojust supported joint investigation team (JIT) between the Irish and Latvian authorities,and Europol, has led to Ireland's first convictions for human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. Following the investigation, Irish courts sentenced two individuals to 13 and 11 years' imprisonment for offences including human trafficking, money laundering and forgery. The two individuals, who were residing in Ireland, pleaded guilty to offences including human trafficking, money laundering and forgery committed between December 2020 and October 2023. They exploited seven victims who had been deceptively recruited from Latvia.The victims—six men and one woman, aged between 40 and 60—were lured to Ireland with promises of secure employment, good working conditions and accommodation. Instead, they were subjected to severe labour exploitation, resulting in physical and psychological harm and the theft of approximately EUR 750 000 in wages.During the trial, the… Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 291ef647-543c-4a7e-87ce-8ea1de7dd3e7 Money laundering Trafficking in human beings Joint investigation teams Ireland Latvia Europol https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-and-netherlands-sign-amended-seat-agreement https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/sign-amended-seat-agreement-sitting.jpg Signing of seat agreement Eurojust and the Dutch government have signed an amendment to the Agency’s seat agreement, further strengthening the framework for international judicial cooperation from Eurojust’s headquarters in The Hague. The amendment supports Eurojust’s growing cooperation with countries outside the European Union, including through liaison prosecutors seconded to the Agency. These prosecutors work side by side with their EU counterparts at Eurojust, helping national authorities coordinate swiftly and effectively in serious cross-border crime cases. Cooperation with third countries is becoming increasingly important to Eurojust’s work. Around 10% of the Agency’s cases already involve a country outside the European Union, underlining the fact that keeping Europe safe increasingly requires judicial cooperation beyond EU borders. Eurojust expects to welcome more liaison prosecutors in the coming years, further reinforcing The Hague as a hub for international criminal justice cooperation.The amended Seat Agreement was signed by Eurojust President Michael Schmid and Secretary-General of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Christiaan… Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 68c69372-2c76-4187-b54c-b1c58f4f4aea Netherlands https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-hosts-cross-mediterranean-partners-strengthen-judicial-cooperation https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/emj-pg-forum-group-pic.jpg Group picture The seventh EuroMed Prosecutors General Forum offered a platform to strengthen cooperation between South Partner Countries, European Union Member States and Eurojust. The event brought together Prosecutor Generals and equivalent positions from the EU (Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and The Netherlands) and MENA region (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine1). This year’s edition presented an update on ongoing actions by the EuroMed Justice project, endorsed recommendations for judicial cooperation in the fight against organised crime and offered the opportunity for bilateral discussion on high-level cases in the margins of the event. Eurojust President Michael Schmid: ‘Fighting serious and organised crime is more than ever before a collective effort, so it is important for Eurojust and for Prosecutors General from across the Middle East and North Africa so stay close. The number of operational meetings between our sides stood at 57 in 2025 and we expect it to grow further, but there is important potential left to tap. Over the past two days for instance, we looked at how we can join forces in Joint Investigation Teams, so that information and evidence could be exchanged more smoothly.’Throughout the two-day event,… Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 8ca037ab-9c3a-4683-a09a-82ebe48ac46b Migrant smuggling Organised crime Trafficking in human beings Bulgaria Cyprus France Greece Italy Malta Netherlands Portugal Romania Sweden Third countries EuroMed Justice https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-and-iraq-sign-working-arrangement-combat-terrorism-and-serious-organised-crime https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/iraq-wa-2.jpg signing agreement Eurojust President, Michael Schmid and Judge Ali Hussein Chafat, representative of the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Iraq and Head of the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation signed a Working Arrangement today at the Eurojust headquarters in The Hague to enable long-term cooperation in the fight against terrorism and serious and organised crime. The arrangement provides a framework for strategic cooperation and the exchange of information between the Agency and the authorities of the Republic of Iraq. Beyond making the thirteenth such working arrangement for Eurojust, outside the European Union, the agreement represents an important step forward in supporting EU Member States investigating crimes committed by ISIL/Da’esh and cases involving foreign terrorist fighters. The Working Arrangement will strengthen judicial cooperation and facilitate access to information and evidence relevant to terrorism and core international crimes investigations.Eurojust President, Michael Schmid said: In the pursuit of accountability for terrorism and other core international crimes, experience has shown… Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 06faa8a0-a8f4-40c5-b330-e1dcda06adfd https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/ar/news/ywrwjst-walraq-ywqan-atfaqyt-ml-lmkafht-alarhab-waljrymt-almnzmt https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/iraq-wa-2.jpg signing agreement وقّع السيد مايكل شميد، رئيس يوروجست، والسيد القاضي علي حسين جفات، ممثلاً عن مجلس القضاء الأعلى في جمهورية العراق ورئيس المركز الوطني للتعاون القضائي الدولي، اليوم في المقر الرئيسي ليوروجست في لاهاي، اتفاقية عمل تهدف إلى إرساء تعاون طويل الأمد في مجال مكافحة الإرهاب والجريمة المنظمة. ستوفر هذه الاتفاقية إطاراً للتعاون الاستراتيجي وتبادل المعلومات بين الوكالة والسلطات المختصة في جمهورية العراق. لا تقتصر أهمية هذا الاتفاق على جعل العراق الدولة العاشرة من خارج الاتحاد الأوروبي التي تبرم اتفاقية عمل مع يوروجست، بل يمثل أيضاً خطوة مهمة في دعم الدول الأعضاء في الاتحاد الأوروبي التي تجري تحقيقات بشأن الجرائم التي ارتكبها تنظيم داعش والقضايا المتعلقة بالمقاتلين الإرهابيين الأجانب. ومن شأن اتفاقية العمل هذه أن تعزز التعاون القضائي وتسهّل الوصول إلى المعلومات والأدلة ذات الصلة بالتحقيقات الخاصة بالإرهاب والجرائم الدولية الأساسية.وقال السيد مايكل شميد، رئيس يوروجست: "في سعينا لتحقيق المساءلة عن جرائم الإرهاب وغيرها من الجرائم الدولية الأساسية، أثبتت التجربة أنه لا يمكن لأي دولة أن تنجح… Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 06faa8a0-a8f4-40c5-b330-e1dcda06adfd https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/parcel-post-drug-traffickers-arrested-during-international-operation https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-parcel-drug-traffiking-case.jpg marijuana plants and cigarets A criminal group has been taken down following an international operation by French and Spanish authorities, together with Eurojust and Europol. The group is suspected of smuggling large quantities of cannabis from Spain to France using parcel delivery services. During an action week between 15 and 19 June, 10 suspects were arrested and 24 searches were executed. The searches led to the seizure of over EUR 278 000 in cash and EUR 111 000 on bank accounts, cannabis and other drugs, fire arms, phones and cars.The coordinated operation is the result of cooperation under the coordination by Eurojust. Investigators came together several times at the Agency’s headquarters in The Hague to exchange information and plan the action week. Eurojust also ensured the execution of European Arrest Warrant and European Investigation Orders, key to the success… Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 002ad9e2-b9eb-4634-8da2-e30c35587974 Drug trafficking Organised crime European Arrest Warrant European Investigation Order France Spain Europol https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/wbcj-training-strengthens-jit-cooperation-between-western-balkans-and-latin-america https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/group-photo-wbcj-trining-2.jpg training session The Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project, in cooperation with the JITs Network Secretariat at Eurojust and the EL PACCTO 2.0 project, organised the third edition of its flagship training on joint investigation teams (JITs) from 24 to 26 June 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. Building on the2024 and2025 editions, this year’s training focused on cooperation between the Western Balkans and Latin America. Alongside representatives from the WB6 – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia – practitioners from 13 Latin American countries took part: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay.The training marked a further step instrengthening operational cooperation between the two regions, building on the joint efforts… Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 9e854d17-78c7-44dc-b76a-a796a50098b3 Third countries WB CRIM JUST https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/vincent-jamins-mandate-administrative-director-extended https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/vincent-jamin-ad-eurojust.jpg Vincent Jamin Vincent JaminThe College of Eurojust has decided to extend Vincent Jamin’s mandate as Administrative Director for 4 years. Vincent Jamin has been leading Eurojust’s administration and implementation of key organisational developments since 1 October 2023 when his first term started. Vincent Jamincommented on his extension:‘I feel privileged to continue in my role as Administrative Director at a moment when discussions on the revision of Eurojust mandate are starting in Brussels. This represents a unique opportunity to review and enhance our operational support to national authorities. I look forward to working with Eurojust College, post-holders and staff on this important change in the years to come’.Vincent Jamin is a French prosecutor by profession. He brings with him 25 years of experience in the area of criminal justice, ranging from assignments in… Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 f9cc9ffa-5e22-4684-811d-dc5d5533566b Administrative Director https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/operation-endgame-continues-international-coalition-takes-malware-offline https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/operation-endgame-pr.jpg Endgame badge Another chapter in Operation Endgame ended with the successful takedown of malware that was offered as a service to other criminals for further criminal activity. Eurojust, together with judicial authorities and law enforcement from Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Europol, planned and executed actions to take down the technical infrastructure underpinning the malware. During an international action week taking place between 15 and 19 June, authorities succeeded in disrupting the infrastructure of various malware services. In total 326 servers and 142 domains were neutralised and 27 million compromised data sets were recovered.Three malware variants with different functionalities were targeted and neutralised:SocGholish: allows unauthorised parties to gain access to computer systems by distributing fake browser updates via compromised websites. This access is then exploited for other crimes, such as installing ransomware for digital extortion.StealC:… Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 546378f2-2f04-4ae8-8deb-12895320d355 Cybercrime Denmark France Germany Netherlands Europol United Kingdom USA https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-president-opens-eu-crime-fighting-week https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/eu-crime-fighting-week-president.jpg EU Crime Fighting week During the opening of the EU Crime Fighting Week, Michael Schmid, President of Eurojust, highlighted the importance of cooperation in the fight against an ever-evolving criminal landscape. The biennial event addresses key challenges in combating organised crime. This year's event focused on the rule of law, emerging criminal threats, and the growing intersection between technology and crime. Michael Schmid also commented on the e-Evidence Package, which will enter into force in August, establishing two new judicial cooperation instruments: the European Preservation Order and the European Production Order. The Eurojust President emphasised the importance of these new instruments in helping to address one of the main challenges in the prosecution of organised crime. To support authorities in implementing these new instruments, Eurojust recently published the Guidelines for Completing the European Preservation and Production Orders as part of the SIRIUS Project.The SIRIUS Project,… Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 48989557-b2da-49fe-99aa-14fffa1ce011 Sirius https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/specialised-prosecutors-meet-eurojust-strengthen-fight-against-human-trafficking https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/human-trafficking-meeting-2026-group.jpg Specialised prosecutors meet at Eurojust to strengthen the fight against human trafficking The 5th meeting of the Focus Group of specialised prosecutors on Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) took place at Eurojust on 17-18 June 2026. The meeting was co-chaired bythe EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator and focused on recent developments in the fight against trafficking in human beings. Trafficking in human beings remains one of the most serious forms of organized crime, violating the fundamental rights and dignity of its victims while generating substantial profits for criminal networks. Effective investigations and prosecutions require strong judicial cooperation to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and victims are protected.This year’s Focus Group meeting featured presentation and discussion sessions, including updates on developments in the field of THB, the practical challenges of the application of the non-prosecution principle, cooperation with Latin… Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 a29f4488-562d-4734-b3f9-38a570101285 Trafficking in human beings https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/discover-eurojust-annual-report-2025-through-four-new-visual-publications https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/pubs-news-web.jpg AR cover For the first time, Eurojust is complementing its Annual Report with four concise, visual publications that explore key achievements, developments and trends from 2025. The publications include: Eurojust Regulation EvaluatedA key milestone of the past year was the evaluation of the Eurojust Regulation, assessing the Agency’s performance and development between 2019 and 2024. This publication highlights the main findings of the European Commission’s evaluation and features an infographic of milestones in the past five years that have shaped the work of Eurojust.Read HereEurojust Home to Global Justice – Cooperation Outside the EU’s BordersAs crime becomes increasingly global, effective judicial cooperation beyond the EU is more important than ever. This publication explores… Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 49eb52dd-a9d8-4ec8-8401-58a11822a9c0 https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/drug-trafficking-network-dismantled-international-coalition https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/pr-2026-06-12.jpg stock image Belgian and French investigators have worked together to identify and dismantle an international drug trafficking network. The network is suspected of having trafficked large quantities of drugs across several European countries. A joint operation led to the detention of 11 suspects. After connecting ongoing investigations in Belgium and France through a joint investigation team at Eurojust, a well-organised transnational criminal network was revealed, with some of its key members residing in Brussels. To run their drug trafficking operation, they prepared vehicles equipped with hidden compartments. Drugs were trafficked to Spain and Italy through France.Through coordination from Eurojust, authorities came together several times at the Agency in The Hague to connect the dots, plan a joint operation to detain members of the group and collect important evidence.An action… Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 3a78ea0b-ad66-4aef-97e3-a32f1a3aec12 Drug trafficking Belgium France https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/cryptocurrency-money-laundering-site-shut-down-thanks-coordinated-investigation https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-spalsh-crypoto-case.jpg splash page A global parallel investigation, supported by Eurojust and Europol, has shut down a website suspected of laundering more than EUR 336 million in criminal cryptocurrency between 2022 and 2025. The service, known as ‘AudiA6’, was used by cybercriminals involved in ransomware attacks to cash out stolen digital assets and conceal the movement of illicit funds from authorities. The criminal group behind the website are also allegedly running a separate cybercrime forum known as ‘Dark2Web’, which acts as a marketplace used to advertise illicit services and connect cybercriminal actors worldwide.Cybercriminals as customers of the service, would transfer stolen cryptocurrency to wallets controlled by the criminal group and, within around an hour, receive “cleaned” funds back through… Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 e021177a-d25f-4dd5-8793-493c51e1340d Cybercrime Fraud Money laundering France Poland Europol Georgia Iceland USA https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/millions-french-drug-trafficking-profits-laundered-through-belgium-authorities-take-action https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/money-drugs-pr.jpg Money and drugs Cooperation between Belgian and French authorities, set up through Eurojust, has led to the detention of eight people and the seizure of over EUR 8 million. The detained people are suspected of laundering several million euros through a business in Brussels. A joint investigation team set up at Eurojust enabled the Belgian and French authorities to reveal the money laundering scheme taking place in both countries. Illicit proceeds from drug trafficking activities in France were allegedly transferred to Belgium by money collectors. The money would then be laundered in Brussels through a business.During two action days starting in France on 5 June and continuing in Belgium the next day, authorities worked together to take action against the money launderers. When two of the money collectors arrived in France they were arrested and over EUR 260 000… Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 cd91e257-1b95-44f8-bf0a-423693905138 Drug trafficking Money laundering Joint investigation teams Belgium France https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/new-national-member-romania-ms-emilia-ioana-lionte https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/emilia-ioana-lionte.jpg Emilia Ioana Lionte Prosecutor Ms Emilia Ioana Lionte has been appointed as the new National Member for Romania at Eurojust – the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.Ms Lionte began her work at the Agency in May 2026 and will be instrumental in enabling cooperation between Romanian authorities and their international partners on cross-border investigations. Commenting on her new mandate at Eurojust, Ms Lionte said:I am honoured to have been appointed as National Member for Romania. I'm confident that I can actively contribute to enhancing judicial cooperation and facilitating the handling of complex cases. Eurojust plays a distinctive role in bringing an international perspective to connected national cases. This very important institution connects practitioners across diverse legal systems and facilitates dialogue aimed at combating the most serious forms of criminality.Ms Lionte has extensive experience as a prosecutor both at national… Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 d9f493cf-331c-494d-b1f1-7638ca3b85e0 College Romania https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/expert-meeting-judicial-response-threats-caused-drones https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/drones.jpg drones In response to the growing threat posed by malicious use of drones across Europe, Eurojust organised a two-day expert meeting on 2 and 3 June 2026 to discuss the judicial response to the phenomenon. The event provided a platform for the judicial authorities of EU Member States and partner third countries to exchange operational experience and best practices on dealing, at judicial level, with incidents and threats caused by drones. A specific session was also dedicated to enhancing interagency and international collaboration in this area to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated and targeted approach bringing together all relevant stakeholders. Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 1d72fe1b-be03-49b2-9768-09064bd3ecb4 https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/crackdown-criminal-groups-selling-stolen-gold-and-jewellery https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/stealing-jewelry.jpg stealing jewelry International cooperation was key to locating and arresting 19 members of several criminal groups active in France and Belgium involved in the theft and resale of jewellery, diamonds and precious metals. A joint investigation team (JIT) between authorities from both countries, set up with the support of Eurojust, enabled a nine-month investigation that led to several house searches and 19 arrests on 27 and 28 May 2026. Several burglary and pickpocketing gangs operating in France allegedly stole large quantities of jewellery while working in shifting group formations. A JIT between the Belgian and French authorities, supported by Eurojust, confirmed that the stolen gold and jewellery were being transported to Belgium and resold for cash.Investigators identified more than 80 trips between September 2025 and May 2026 linked to one group of suspects, and a further 55 trips between November 2025 and May 2026 linked to another group, equivalent to more than two shipments per week. Members of the criminal groups… Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200 1156ec45-28ae-497c-ae0f-9364150d3bad Robbery Joint investigation teams Belgium France https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/scam-call-centre-shut-down-thanks-eurojust-supported-investigation https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-lv-ua-fraud-case.jpg call center desk A joint investigation by Latvian and Ukrainian authorities, supported by Eurojust, has shut down a fraudulent call centre in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Operated by an organised crime group, the scam call centre defrauded European residents of hundreds of thousands of euros. Following a joint action day on 26 May, four leaders of the organised crime group were arrested, five individuals were identified as suspects and 14 searches were executed. The scam call centre was run by an organised crime group based in Kharkiv, Ukraine, which targeted older individuals who had previously fallen victim to fraud. Exploiting victims’ vulnerability, call centre operators falsely promised to recover lost funds while repeatedly defrauding them of additional money.The operators created misleading investment offers, including in cryptocurrencies, and used fabricated reports to convince victims that their investments had generated profits. They also established fraudulent credit agreements, created without the victims’ knowledge or consent.The call… Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 c2be8880-e3fd-436f-876a-cad1c77320aa Fraud Organised crime Joint investigation teams Search Seizure Latvia Ukraine https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/ejcn-celebrates-10-years-judicial-cooperation-fight-against-cybercrime https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/ejcn-10years-group-pic.jpg group picture The European Judicial Cybercrime Network (EJCN) celebrated its 10th anniversary during its 20th Plenary Meeting, bringing together EJCN members, institutional partners, observer states and key stakeholders from across Europe. A central part of the plenary was a high-level panel discussion dedicated to the work and evolution of the network over the past decade. Former EJCN Coordinators, representatives from the European Commission (DG JUST and DG HOME), and members of Eurojust’s Cybercrime Working Group discussed the network’s achievements, challenges and future priorities in the fight against cybercrime. For the first time, the EJCN welcomed Interpol, EL PAcCTO and CiberRed.As usual, the second day of the meeting focused on the activities of EJCN members and observer states. Dedicated subgroup sessions provided… Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 a105ba8f-be81-4e82-b813-e2e4d2681ad7 Cybercrime EJCN https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/dismantling-poly-criminal-group-23-suspects-detained https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/it-hr-case-may2026.jpg prison cell An organised crime group active in the Salerno area in Italy has been taken down following actions by Italian and Croatian authorities, with coordination by Eurojust. Investigations into the group revealed the wide range of criminal activities from which they had been profiting, including drug trafficking, arms trafficking and migrant smuggling. The leader of the group was able to lead their activities from a prison facility. During actions taken in Italy and Croatia, 23 suspects were detained, including a Croatian arms dealer involved in the criminal activities. Investigations revealed the dangerous poly-criminal nature of the criminal group. The organisation’s main activity was drug trafficking in the Sarno and Scafati area. They are suspected to have trafficked hundreds of kilos of cocaine. To control their territory, members of the group are suspected of acquiring various weapons, alongside engaging in extortion and commissioning violent acts for intimidation purposes. To gain even more illegal profits, the group also became active in facilitating illegal immigration by creating fake employment contracts. Over 1 000 applications for work permits… Thu, 28 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 21f0fb32-61d2-4b71-8222-f3d30299fc43 Drug trafficking Migrant smuggling Trafficking in firearms Croatia Italy https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-supports-joint-italy-albania-operation-dismantling-organised-crime-network https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-it-al-case.jpg handcuffs money With the active assistance of Eurojust, the authorities in Italy and Albania have dealt a major blow to organised crime groups (OCGs) involved in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. During a joint action day that took place on 26 May 2026 in Italy and Albania, 12 suspects were arrested and summonses were issued against three individuals. The investigations are linked to a high-profile murder committed in May last year. Eurojust supported cooperation between the Italian and Albanian authorities by facilitating the establishment of a joint investigation team (JIT). This marks the fifth JIT supported by Eurojust between the Public Prosecution Office of Bari and the Albanian Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) between 2018 and 2026 to combat international drug trafficking organisations linked to the Apulian territory, resulting in more than 170 arrests. Today’s joint action is the culmination of several parallel investigations into different criminal offences, including murder, drug trafficking and money laundering, which ultimately converged on the same individuals.On 25 May 2025, a bar fight in the Bari region of Italy quickly escalated into the brutal murder of a victim in an isolated cave in the Upper Murgia area. The murder investigation revealed links to drug trafficking activities allegedly managed by an Albanian national. As authorities pursued both the homicide and drug trafficking investigations, they identified a structured… Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 ecb062f2-9b3a-4ade-9cee-3058b5d790ad Crimes against life, limb and personal freedom Drug trafficking Money laundering Organised crime Joint action day Joint investigation teams Seizure Italy Albania https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/illegal-waste-trading-stopped-through-coordination-eurojust https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-illegal-waste-case.jpg garbage bulldozer Actions have been taken against three Italian companies suspected of illegal waste trading. The companies allegedly processed and sold toxic materials, falsely advertising them as environmentally friendly charcoal for producing briquettes or fertilisers. The Italian authorities worked with their counterparts from Austria, Croatia and Germany to detain 12 suspects and seize one of the production plants. Eurojust, Europol and OLAF supported the investigation throughout. The criminal group, which operated in Italy, Austria, Germany, Croatia, Serbia and Switzerland, had set up an illegal system in which they transformed ash containing highly toxic materials into supposedly environmentally friendly charcoal for use in barbecue briquettes, fertilisers and concrete additives. The group also traded in CO2 quotas and set up a web of companies across Europe. Through these activities, the group gained an illicit profit of hundreds of thousands of euros.To legitimise their illegal activities, the group allegedly had close ties to senior officials in the local… Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 c05ad447-0d6e-4c81-8c24-482a8715d3ea Environmental crime Organised crime Joint action day European Arrest Warrant European Investigation Order Exchange of information Austria Croatia Germany Italy Europol OLAF https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/margarita-sniutyte-daugeliene-re-elected-vice-president-eurojust https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/portrait-vp-margarita-sniutyte-daugeliene-0.jpg Portrait_VP_ Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė National Member for Lithuania Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė has been re-elected as Vice-President of Eurojust on 26 May. As of 28 June, she will take up a mandate of four years, continuing to work together closely with President Michael Schmid and Vice-President José de la Mata. Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė has been National Member for Lithuania since 2019. Commenting on her election as Vice-President by her fellow National Members, Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė said: 'Being re-elected as Vice-President of Eurojust by my colleagues is both a great honour and a significant responsibility. I am grateful for the trust placed in me and look forward to continuing our shared work over the next four years, at a pivotal moment for the Agency following the revision of the Eurojust Regulation, which further strengthens Eurojust’s role in delivering justice across borders.Together, we will continue supporting Member States in tackling increasingly complex… Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 8d7bf67b-37ab-4ce4-a6f6-e62fe2d69bd3 College Presidency Vice-President Lithuania https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/highlighting-important-work-national-authorities-11th-eu-day-against-impunity https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/euday-2026-ej-infocus.jpg EU DAI On 23 May, the European Union marks the 11th EU Day Against Impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. At a time of growing armed conflict around the world – particularly in regions close to the European Union – and mounting threats to the international criminal justice system, this day serves as a reminder of the commitment needed to fight impunity for the most serious international crimes. Accountability for core international crimes is a global effort. Across Europe and beyond, national authorities, international institutions and civil society organisations are working together to strengthen international criminal justice worldwide. EU Member States make a particularly significant contribution to justice for victims through the exercise of extra-territorial jurisdiction, including universal jurisdiction. In 2025, over 30 new cases were opened, adding to the ongoing investigative and prosecutorial efforts in 20 countries concerning crimes committed in over 30 countries*.Since… Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 4b8beccb-c06c-4ab6-b10a-0043c0cb0e9c Core international crimes Genocide Prosecution Network https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/symposium-victims-rights-procedural-rights-cross-border-victims https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/symposium-on-victims-rights.jpg Symposium on victims’ rights On 19-20 May, practitioners from fifteen EU Member States and six third countries gathered to discuss the procedural rights of cross-border victims and the practical challenges that arise when victims are located in a different jurisdiction from the one where the investigation or trial is taking place. Opening remarks were delivered by Eurojust Vice-President Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė, Hilde Vandevoorde, National Member for Belgium at Eurojust and Chair of the Eurojust Working Group on Victims’ Rights, and Tommaso Chiamparino, European Commission Coordinator for Victims’ Rights.Through case illustrations and practical examples, participants explored how rights such as the right to information and the right to participate in criminal proceedings can be effectively exercised in cross-border cases. Discussions covered a wide range of practical issues, including the payment of expenses for… Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 bd0256db-7c5a-44de-ac64-fd0905713759 Victims’ rights Support for victims https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/wbcj-project-and-enpe-workshop-strengthens-cross-regional-cooperation-against-environmental https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/enpe-workshop-1.jpeg ENPE workshop On 20–21 May 2026, the Western Balkans Criminal Justice (WBCJ) Project, implemented by Eurojust, in cooperation with the European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment (ENPE), organised the second regional workshop on environmental crime in Zagreb, following the successful first edition held in Ohrid in 2025. The event focused on strengthening the fight against environmental crime through enhanced cross-regional judicial cooperation among the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries, and EU Member States. Environmental crime remains an evolving and often overlooked threat, with criminal networks often adapting faster than judicial and law enforcement responses. Its broad and transnational nature requires strong cooperation among competent authorities, supported by technical expertise and the effective use of judicial cooperation tools.The workshop brought together prosecutors from Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Ireland, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, and other jurisdictions, alongside experts from Eurojust… Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 4c73cb48-84be-435e-9dab-755ec7594a20 Third countries WB CRIM JUST https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-coordinated-investigation-shuts-down-criminal-vpn-network https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/vpn-conection-laptop.jpg VPN connection A joint investigation by the French and Dutch authorities, supported by Eurojust and Europol, has shut down a large-scale criminal virtual private network (VPN) service. The criminal service, known as First VPN, targeted cybercriminals by offering their services and promising a secure environment to carry out illegal activities such as hacking and ransomware attacks. Thanks to a joint action coordinated at Eurojust on the 19 and 20 May, authorities were able to dismantle critical infrastructure including 33 servers and conduct a search and interview of a suspect in Ukraine. A VPN is commonly used to create a secure connection between a user’s device and the internet, protecting their network traffic and device location.The criminal service First VPN allegedly targeted criminals, offering services to conceal their identities and enable cybercrime. Their grasp was far-reaching: according to Europol, the VPN service featured in almost every major cybercrime investigation supported by the Agency.First VPN’s website promoted itself by emphasising anonymity, promising its users that it would not cooperate with any judicial authority, that it would not… Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 d3b4b783-cd48-4123-82e7-c7310d005482 Cybercrime European Investigation Order Mutual legal assistance France Luxembourg Netherlands Romania Europol Switzerland Ukraine United Kingdom https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/eurojust-supports-arrest-man-suspected-intentional-homicide-his-partner https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/sw-es-press-release-19-05-2026.jpg Police tape The reason for a woman’s disappearance from Switzerland is suspected to be intentional homicide by her partner. Swiss and Spanish authorities were able to arrest the suspect during a joint action day that took place in both countries. Throughout the investigation, authorities worked together with Eurojust to locate the suspect, collect evidence and find the remains of the victim. The victim was last seen in Switzerland after attending a medical appointment. In early 2026, the victim’s family suspected that she was missing after a period without contact. An investigation was then launched in Switzerland.Since the suspect had moved to a remote area in Spain, Swiss authorities needed support from their Spanish counterparts to continue the investigation. Through coordination by Eurojust, several Mutual Legal Assistance requests were executed and a joint action day was planned to take place in Spain and Switzerland.According to the results of the investigation, the death… Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 9ba9997a-c352-49bc-ba65-8ff95bd2035b Crimes against life, limb and personal freedom Joint action day Spain Switzerland https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/23rd-crimex-meeting-focuses-conflict-jurisdictions-topics-and-joint-investigations-teams https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/group-picture-23rd-crimex-meeting.jpeg Group picture On 05-06 May 2026, the EuroMed Justice (EMJ) project organised the 23rd CrimEx meeting in Stockholm, Sweden. The meeting brought together criminal justice representatives from six South Partner Countries (SPCs) and eleven European Union Member States. Participants addressed technical and strategic aspects of international judicial cooperation, focusing on the topics of conflict of jurisdictions and Joint Investigations Teams. The outcomes and suggested recommendations from the 7th EMJNet meeting focusing on the topic of conflict of jurisdictions and Joint Investigations Teams were shared for the CrimEx representatives’ consideration and discussion. The CrimEx members exchanged on the challenges and best practices related to these topics and prepared consolidated recommendations for endorsement to the Prosecutor Generals Forum, planned for end of June. Participants took note of the project results in 2025 and planned activities in 2026 and further discussed the preparations and the agenda for the PG Forum.In… Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 863decf6-3edb-4d16-b32c-18341d093000 EuroMed Justice https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/western-balkan-chief-prosecutors-meet-sarajevo-third-consultative-forum-launch-practical-guide-jits https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/jit-experts-handbook-sarajevo.jpg meeting photo Western Balkan Chief Prosecutors to meet in Sarajevo for Third Consultative Forum and launch the new Practical Guide on Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) for Western Balkan Practitioners The third Regional Western Balkan Consultative Forum, organised by the Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project in cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, took place in Sarajevo on 19 May 2026. Building on previous editions, the Forum brought together General and Special Chief Prosecutors from across the six Western Balkan countries to strengthen regional dialogue and cooperation.The Forum once again provided a platform for direct exchanges among partners, reinforcing shared priorities and trust across the region. Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in… Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 66745b2f-0ad1-4f61-aef0-2eaab713861a Third countries WB CRIM JUST https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/takedown-criminal-group-selling-fake-medicines-and-supplements-mislead-seriously-ill-victims https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/pills.png Pills Authorities from 15 countries worked together on 12 May to takedown a dangerous criminal group responsible for defrauding victims across Europe and beyond with fake supplements and medicines. The group allegedly claimed to sell legitimate medicines that cured serious illnesses. Their illegal activities generated EUR 240 million in illicit transactions. A coordinated action day resulted in the collection of important evidence, the detention of some of the main members of the group and the seizure of large supplies of supplements. Eurojust and Europol supported the investigations from the outset, ensuring efficient and effective cooperation between the 15 countries. From 2019, the group worked operated in a professional, hierarchical way. They set up companies through which they marketed supplements that were not authorised for sale. The criminal group sold over 400 differently named supplements. A network of virtual sellers built hundreds of websites and social media pages, often using the names and images of famous people and fake doctors to mislead victims from across the European Union and beyond. The criminal group trained their affiliates to create fake social media accounts, make them appear legitimate and avoid detection by social media companies… Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 95214a6e-d812-463d-b6a8-c53c48f72c83 Economic crimes Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Greece Hungary Italy Latvia Lithuania Poland Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Europol Moldova https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/fugitives-run-arrested-following-eurojust-coordinated-operation-against-organised-crime-group https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/images/web-it-es-fugitives-case.jpg police cars A complex joint investigation coordinated through Eurojust by the Italian and Spanish authorities has led to the identification and arrest of fugitives on the run from Italy linked to a Spanish organised crime group. In May 2021, an Italian national was arrested on charges of causing aggravated bodily harm and carrying a firearm in a public place. However, before he could be detained, the suspect evaded the execution of the pre-trial detention order issued by the Judge for Preliminary Investigations at the Court of Naples. The Italian authorities subsequently issued a Europe-wide arrest warrant and have been seeking the suspect’s whereabouts ever since.Meanwhile in Spain, authorities investigating a series of forged documents and identification papers uncovered an organised crime group. Members of the… Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 +0200 c23e760c-18fd-46dd-a31f-4c64fbb40150 Organised crime European Arrest Warrant European Investigation Order Seizure Italy Spain