Intelligence Notification – Migrant smuggling on board international trains

Europol is the European Union’s law enforcement agency. Its main goal is to achieve a safer Europe for the benefit of all EU citizens.

Headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, Europol assists the 28 EU Member States in their fight against serious international crime and terrorism. It also works with many non-EU partner states and international organisations.

Large-scale criminal and terrorist networks pose a significant threat to the internal security of the EU. Terrorism, cybercrime and people smuggling, to name just a few, pose a severe threat to the safety and livelihood of its people. The biggest security threats come from:

+ terrorism
+ international drug trafficking and money laundering;
+ organised fraud
+ the counterfeiting of euros
+ people smuggling

New dangers are also growing, such as online radicalisation and trafficking in human beings. The networks behind the crimes in each of these areas are quick to seize new opportunities, and they are resilient in the face of traditional law enforcement measures.Data contributions from several EU law enforcement agencies show increased detections of irregular migrants on board international freight and passenger trains, along the Western Balkan corridor or from Italy across the Alps to northern EU countries.

The modi operandi of most of the incidents indicate the involvement of organised crime groups operating along the transit routes, with the sole focus of making profits and with no regard for the safety and security of the migrants.

• Primary Source

EU Bookshop: Some Europol publications can also be downloaded from the EU Bookshop http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/europol-european-police-office-cbw0oKABstpFwAAAEjQ4cY4e5K/

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