Nearly 800 held for human trafficking, drug smuggling in massive swoop across Europe

By Giovanni Legorano

ROME (AA) – Europol, in collaboration with 16 European Union countries, conducted an anti-crime campaign that resulted in the arrest of nearly 800 people on charges of human trafficking, drug and illicit weapons smuggling, the EU law enforcement agency said on Friday.

"796 individuals were arrested, 316 investigations initiated, and 442 weapons seized as a result of the massive operation, which involved 31,109 officers," according to a Europol statement.

It also benefited from “the proactive participation” from other countries such as Türkiye, Ukraine, and Moldova, said Europol.

"Working side by side, EU and non-EU agencies and projects have provided their expertise," allowing for a truly united front against organized crime, it added.

The scale and scope of this operation were designed to be as wide as possible, the statement said, adding that checks and searches encompassed both the physical and the online world, including the clear web, the dark web, and social media platforms.

Notably, these "cyber patrols" included not only law enforcement officers but also prosecutors from various jurisdictions, which increased their operational effectiveness substantially, it added.