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New Moody’s data sheds light on the rise in modern slavery and money laundering across Europe

Moody’s data shows that incidents of modern slavery increased by nearly 17% from 2022 to 2023 – rising from 18,335 to 21,626. This upward trend is a strong increase compared to the figure of 10,277 in 2018. The analysis identified human trafficking as the predominant underlying crime in money…

Europol releases new podcast on ‘Halting People Smugglers’ highlighting the biggest operations it has supported

In this episode Europol and authorities from Hungary and Austria tell the story of the Burgenland Corpses Discovery, one of Europe’s most tragic migrant smuggling cases. In 2015, at the height of the European Migrant Crisis, a terrible tragedy struck when reckless criminal actions cost 71 innocent lives…

Council of EU adopts position to ban products made with forced labour on the EU market

The proposal prohibits products made with forced labour from being placed or made available on the Union market or exported from the Union to third countries. The competent authorities should assess forced labour risks based on a range of different sources of information, such as submissions from civil society…

Council and European Parliament strengthen rules on human trafficking

The new EU’s anti-trafficking law will include forced marriage, illegal adoption, and surrogacy as forms of exploitation. The update of the directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings will also require EU countries to make sure that people knowingly…

UNODC issues comprehensive report on the alarming rise of child trafficking in South Eastern Europe

The UNODC meeting in Skopje highlighted the growing problem of organized child trafficking in South Eastern Europe, stressing the importance of enhanced victim protection and challenging related prejudices. Key discussions centered on addressing exploitation, with a focus on safeguarding vulnerable children and dismantling criminal networks…

Europol identifies 39 suspects in major online child sexual abuse swoop in the Western Balkan region

The operation led by the Slovenian National Police and coordinated by Europol aimed to identify and arrest people using online forums and messaging applications to share and distribute child sexual abuse material. More than 200 items containing images or videos of child sexual…

EU Parliament publishes briefing on EU measures to counter and prevent human trafficking

The report focuses on the creation of the ‘EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016’, under priority A, action 1, it requires member states to establish formal national referral mechanisms to protect victims…

Europol publishes spotlight report on criminal networks in migrant smuggling

Details main features of modern migrant smuggling networks and explains phenomena such as ‘joint ventures’, where illicit actors cooperate at various stages in the migrant smuggling chain.

EU Commission plans stronger rules to fight human trafficking

The updated rules will provide stronger tools for law enforcement and judicial authorities to investigate and prosecute new forms of exploitation. The Commission’s proposal put forward mandatory sanctions against companies for trafficking…

Council of Europe on fight against human trafficking

GRETA’s latest evaluation report urged the Irish authorities to adopt a national referral mechanism to ensure that different agencies are involved in identifying victims of all types of trafficking, and to provide trafficking victims with specialised assistance…

Europol large-scale action against human trafficking

Europol supported large-scale international action against trafficking in human beings. 29 countries, led by Austria and Romania, took part in the action days, which were coordinated by Europol and Frontex….