European prosecutors take fight to organised crime networks

A new network of prosecutors across EU member states has been set up to deliver a coordinated and systematic cross-border approach to fighting organised crime networks.

The European Judicial Organised Crime Network (EJOCN) – hosted at the EU's judicial cooperation organisation Eurojust – aims to take the response to OCNs to a strategic level, rather than relying on "investigation-based collaboration."

"Dangerous criminal groups active in drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, cybercrime, and more will now face the full force of specialised prosecutors from all 27 EU member states," said Eurojust in a statement.

The move is a response to the recognition that around three-quarters of active OCNs operate in at least two countries – and sometimes as many as seven – and dismantling them requires a transnational approach.

Counterfeiting is well-recognised as a core activity for many OCNs, not least because the risks associated with this form of illicit trade are much lower than for other activities like drug trafficking. It is estimated that counterfeiting accounts for as much as 2.5 per cent of world trade overall – or $461bn – and 5 per cent of imports into the EU.

Eurojust said the EJOCN will focus on "horizontal issues" that arise in the investigation and prosecution of high-risk criminal networks and will allow prosecutors to tackle "recurring legal challenges and identify new, practical opportunities to cooperate."

It will start by targeting drug-related organised crime connected to European ports and other logistic hubs, an activity carried out by around half of the OPCNs operating in the EU.

More than 70 per cent of criminal networks operating in the EU use corruptive methods to facilitate criminal activity or obstruct law enforcement or judicial proceedings, while around 60 per cent use violence as part of their criminal businesses, according to Eurojust.