Latest news with #CatherineDeBolle
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Gardaí join Europol operation tackling rise in 'child radicalisation' online
Gardaí have taken part in a European police operation targeting the exploitation and radicalization of children online. The operation was coordinated by Europol, the EU police agency, and involved 11 member states and five other countries not in the EU, including Britain and Ukraine. The so-called 'Referral Action Day' identified more than 2,000 links pointing to 'jihadist and right-wing violent extremist and terrorist propaganda' targeting minors. Europol said the action day comes just a few weeks after it set up a new operational taskforce to tackle 'the rising trend' of online groups recruiting young perpetrators into serious and organised crime. The taskforce has identified trends in online propaganda to attract younger people, typically combining images and videos of children with extremist messaging. They have also found guidance to parents that have been radicalized in how to raise 'future jihadists'. Europol said: 'One of the key observations that led to this coordinated action is the use of AI, particularly in the creation of images, text and videos designed to resonate with younger audiences. 'Propagandists invest in content, short videos, memes, and other visual formats, carefully stylised to appeal to minors and families that may be susceptible to extremist manipulation, as well as content incorporating gaming elements with terrorist audio and visual material.' It said that other material include the 'glorification' of minors involved in terrorist attacks. In this regard, terrorist propaganda predominantly targets male minors, manipulating them into joining extremist groups by promoting heroic narratives that portray them as 'warriors' and the 'hope' of society'. It said female minors are referenced less frequently, with their roles largely confined to raising and indoctrinating future 'fighters' for the cause. Europol said that another manipulation technique that has been 'worrying' for the past years is the increased use of victimhood narratives, particularly imagery of wounded or killed children in conflict zones. 'This manipulation serves a dual purpose: it fosters emotional identification with the victims while simultaneously inciting a desire for retaliation and further violence,' Europol said. It said that in 2024, law enforcement authorities in EU member states worked on a 'large number of terrorism-related cases involving minors'. It said that Europol's Counter Terrorism Centre supports member states in preventing and investigating the dissemination of terrorist content online. Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle, said: 'Terrorist groups are increasingly targeting young people, exploiting their vulnerabilities but also their abilities to manage online capabilities to advance violent and extremist agendas." Strong collaboration between public authorities and private sector partners is essential to prevent the radicalisation of minors into harming themselves and our society. Ireland isn't part of the operational taskforce established at the end of April. It is being led by Sweden, which has seen a rise in the use of children to carry out violent acts for gangs for a fee – up to and including murder. Europol said: 'Young people are being deliberately targeted and recruited to commit a wide range of crimes — from drug trafficking and cyber-attacks to online fraud and violent extortion. Recruitment is often highly strategic, exploiting vulnerabilities and glamorising a luxurious, violent lifestyle. 'Social media platforms and messaging apps are used to reach young people through coded language, memes and gamified tasks. In return for money, status or a sense of belonging, they are drawn into criminal schemes that are both violent and transnational.' It addition to Sweden, other countries in the taskforce are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and non-EU member Norway. Last February, Europol issued an alert on a related issue, highlighting online groups and so-called online 'grooming cult groups' that are targeting vulnerable young people to join networks that share extremely violent material. Read More Gardaí seize devices with child sexual abuse material as part of international operation
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How crypto contributed to the rise and fall of one of the world's largest child exploitation platforms
International law enforcement dismantled one of the world's largest child exploitation platforms in April after the service provided access for years to child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, in exchange for cryptocurrency. But, while crypto has enabled increased access to CSAM, the recent take down may prove that the crypto industry also has a role to play in combatting child abuse and other crimes. Kidflix had attracted a total of 1.8 million users since it was created in 2021 by an unnamed cybercriminal, according to Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency. On average, users uploaded 3.5 new videos to the service hourly and had access to 91,000 unique videos with a total run time of 6,288 hours. Despite being known to law enforcement, the platform was able to grow to such a large scale due partly to its reliance on crypto, the digital payment system that shields the identity of transactors with blockchain technology. Some argue that crypto's pseudonymous nature has been appropriated by bad actors to finance their crimes and conceal their identities. With online child sexual exploitation, that seems to be the case. Crypto-based sales of CSAM are a 'growing problem,' according to a 2024 report from crypto data analysis firm Chainalysis, with one expert calling crypto the 'dominant choice' for CSAM buyers and sellers. The report also found that perpetrators are getting better at using crypto tools like 'privacy coins' to obfuscate their data trails even further. 'The digital dimension has driven a rapid evolution in online child sexual exploitation, offering offenders a borderless platform to contact and groom victims, as well as to create, store, and exchange child sexual abuse material,' Catherine De Bolle, Europol's executive director, said in a statement. The takedown While blockchain technology has made it easier to access and distribute CSAM, it has also made it possible to unmask those committing these crimes. As part of Europol's investigation, the agency provided Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, with a list of wallet addresses linked to Kidflix. With this information, Binance's investigative team cross-examined its own database, combing through transactions to pinpoint users who may have sent money to Kidflix. The exchange was able to identify 120 Kidflix users that had Binance accounts, according to the company. With the help of Binance and participation from 31 different countries, Europol was able to shut down the platform and arrest 79 suspects. In April, German and Dutch law enforcement seized a server linked to Kidflix containing around 72,000 videos. The investigation also resulted in the seizure of over 3,000 electronics and the identification of 1,400 suspects. Europol declined to comment publicly about the perpetrators but Lilija Mazeikiene, head of investigations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Binance, told Fortune that the suspects her team identified were 'all over the world.' While crypto was created to be a privacy-based financial system, many exchanges comply with government legal requests related to criminal activity. Binance and other exchanges are required to collect know-your-customer data from users and may hand over that information to law enforcement when requested. This can include names, addresses, nationality, and government-issued identification. 'The blockchain is pseudonymous, not anonymous,' Erin Fracolli, global head of special investigations at Binance, told Fortune. 'If you're doing this sort of thing, you can get caught.' This story was originally featured on
Irish Independent
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Europol chief to receive inaugural award in memory of late assistant garda commissioner John O'Driscoll
Today at 21:30 Europol chief Catherine De Bolle is to receive an award in Dublin next month in honour of the late assistant garda commissioner John O'Driscoll. Ms De Bolle, who is executive director of Europol, will be presented with the inaugural John O'Driscoll Award for International Co-Operation by Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
European drug lords shipping MDMA to Latin America in exchange for cocaine, new report finds
European ganglords are smuggling ecstasy into Latin America in exchange for free cocaine, a report has found. Dutch crime syndicates have seized on the growing market, transporting large shipments of the drug via postal services and couriers on commercial flights. Seizure data reported to the World Customs Organization (WCO) found that between 2019 and 2022 alone, at least 1.2 tonnes of ecstasy, also known as MDMA, was trafficked from EU countries to Latin America. Evidence is emerging that Brazilian organised crime groups such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital, a former prison gang and now Latin America's largest criminal network, are offering cocaine for smuggled ecstasy in barter deals. The joint report from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and Europol, the EU's law-enforcement wing, found that several such deals took place in 2020 between criminals from the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina and Europe. Investigations from law enforcement agencies in June 2022 uncovered how Dutch criminals had attempted to hide an estimated 500,000 ecstasy tablets in mobile home units, vehicles and compressors destined for ports in Chile. It marks a worrying development in the European drug trade, which has been dominated by cocaine shipments exported from Latin America. The Netherlands is the manufacturing hub for ecstasy, which is produced in industrial-scale laboratories using unregulated chemicals sourced from China. Europe accounted for nearly half (43 per cent) of the global quantity of MDMA seized by police between 2018 and 2022. The European MDMA market is estimated to be worth at least £496 million (€594 million), corresponding to around 72.4 million tablets taken in the EU each year. The price of ecstasy has remained stable over the past decade, allowing it to remain the drug of choice at nightclubs and music festivals, the report said. So-called super strength variants of ecstasy have also emerged in recent years, with up to 170mg of MDMA contained in a single tablet. Social media and encrypted messaging apps have accelerated the sale of drug cocktails known as 'tucibi' and 'pink cocaine', which contain a combination of MDMA, ketamine and psychoactive substances. Catherine De Bolle, Europol's executive director, said: 'Europe is a key player in the synthetic drugs market and a global supplier of MDMA, both producing and trafficking for domestic and international markets. 'Legal business structures are often exploited to obtain chemicals and equipment for drug production, which is characterised by continuous innovation.' Alexis Goosdeel, EUDA's executive director, said: 'Understanding the evolving MDMA market is essential for developing effective responses. 'MDMA remains a popular drug in nightlife and music festival settings, so ecstasy tablets that contain high amounts of MDMA, or unexpected ingredients, pose serious risks.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
01-04-2025
- Telegraph
European drug lords shipping MDMA to Latin America in exchange for cocaine, new report finds
European ganglords are smuggling ecstasy into Latin America in exchange for free cocaine, a report has found. Dutch crime syndicates have seized on the growing market, transporting large shipments of the drug via postal services and couriers on commercial flights. Seizure data reported to the World Customs Organization (WCO) found that between 2019 and 2022 alone, at least 1.2 tonnes of ecstasy, also known as MDMA, was trafficked from EU countries to Latin America. Evidence is emerging that Brazilian organised crime groups such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital, a former prison gang and now Latin America's largest criminal network, are offering cocaine for smuggled ecstasy in barter deals. The joint report from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and Europol, the EU's law-enforcement wing, found that several such deals took place in 2020 between criminals from the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina and Europe. Investigations from law enforcement agencies in June 2022 uncovered how Dutch criminals had attempted to hide an estimated 500,000 ecstasy tablets in mobile home units, vehicles and compressors destined for ports in Chile. It marks a worrying development in the European drug trade, which has been dominated by cocaine shipments exported from Latin America. The Netherlands is the manufacturing hub for ecstasy, which is produced in industrial-scale laboratories using unregulated chemicals sourced from China. Europe accounted for nearly half (43 per cent) of the global quantity of MDMA seized by police between 2018 and 2022. The European MDMA market is estimated to be worth at least £496 million (€594 million), corresponding to around 72.4 million tablets taken in the EU each year. The price of ecstasy has remained stable over the past decade, allowing it to remain the drug of choice at nightclubs and music festivals, the report said. So-called super strength variants of ecstasy have also emerged in recent years, with up to 170mg of MDMA contained in a single tablet. Social media and encrypted messaging apps have accelerated the sale of drug cocktails known as 'tucibi' and ' pink cocaine ', which contain a combination of MDMA, ketamine and psychoactive substances. Catherine De Bolle, Europol's executive director, said: 'Europe is a key player in the synthetic drugs market and a global supplier of MDMA, both producing and trafficking for domestic and international markets. 'Legal business structures are often exploited to obtain chemicals and equipment for drug production, which is characterised by continuous innovation.' Alexis Goosdeel, EUDA's executive director, said: 'Understanding the evolving MDMA market is essential for developing effective responses. 'MDMA remains a popular drug in nightlife and music festival settings, so ecstasy tablets that contain high amounts of MDMA, or unexpected ingredients, pose serious risks.'
