According to an internal assessment conducted by the European police agency Europol and reported by the German newspaper “Welt” an international task force dedicated to combating organized criminal enterprises has arrested 280 suspects within a single year. Among these detainees, six are considered high-profile targets.
The breakdown of the arrests reveals that 180 suspects are classified as masterminds, while approximately 100 others are minors who were involved in carrying out criminal assignments. This effort is led by the Operational Taskforce (OTF) GRIMM, which was established in April 2025. The task force is designed to fight structures that organize and facilitate violent crimes, such as contract killings, through criminal networks. Europol confirms that eleven countries are participating in this effort, including Germany, France, Sweden, and Great Britain.
In the coming days, starting April 29th, several suspects are expected to be published on the “EU Most Wanted” platform to locate alleged ringleaders. Europol states that these searches include two men from Sweden, sought for crimes including murder and attempted murder, and a German citizen accused of organizing homicide, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
Furthermore, the investigation uncovered more than 14,000 online accounts linked to these criminal activities. Authorities report that international cooperation has successfully prevented multiple violent incidents, including attempted murders that occurred in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden, with minors participating in some of these crimes.