THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS / EuroWire / – Europol said its latest mapping of organised crime found that 76% of the 821 criminal networks identified in 2024 no longer rank among the European Union’s most threatening groups. The update still lists 731 high-threat networks. It says 198 networks from the 2024 assessment remain in that category, while authorities newly identified 533 others.
The report, released on June 26, reviews criminal networks that affect the EU and partner countries. It describes a changing organised crime landscape shaped by drug trafficking, fraud, cybercrime, migrant smuggling, human trafficking and money laundering. The agency said the findings show major disruption since 2024, but also a large number of active groups with cross-border reach.
The 731 networks assessed in the update involve more than 400,000 members from 118 nationalities. The report also found that 85% use legal business structures in some form. These structures can include companies, transport channels, trade activity or other lawful systems that help hide illegal proceeds, assets or logistics.
Networks exploit legal structures
The assessment says the remaining high-threat networks often have stronger internal organisation and wider criminal links. Many groups operate across several crime areas instead of one. The report says these networks use digital tools, encrypted communication, financial channels and global trade routes to support illegal activity and reduce exposure to investigators.
Europol said disruption varied by crime type. Authorities reported higher disruption levels for trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling. The report listed lower disruption levels for fraud, drug trafficking and property crime. It said several factors explain why networks left the high-threat list, including disruption, dissolution, restructuring, transformation or a lower threat assessment.
EU review follows 2024 map
The European Commission presented the analysis with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU. It said the report examines more than 700 networks and highlights the scale of organised crime across Europe. The Commission also linked the findings to a new proposal aimed at strengthening law enforcement cooperation and support in cross-border investigations.
The report follows the first EU-wide mapping of the most threatening criminal networks, published in 2024. That earlier assessment listed 821 networks and helped create a baseline for comparison. The latest update keeps the focus on groups that authorities consider the highest risk to security, the economy and public institutions across the European Union.