The European Investigator Targeting Criminals Across Borders
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THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS UK QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 1 cover1 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:094 : 4 409:12 :09 © European Police Of¿ ce, 2011 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Proofreading: Jo Gidney, Europol Cover photo: Spanish Police Special thanks to investigators Hans-Peter Seewald, Bundespolizei, Innsbruck, Austria; Pasquale Sorgoná, Polizia di Stato, Pescara, Italy; and Bernie Gravett, Metropolitan Police Force, London, UK, for their contributions More information on Europol is available at http://www.europol.europa.eu THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR ŀ TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 2 cover2 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:094 : 4 409:12 :09 CONTENTS 3 Introduction 5 Operational analysis 9 Mobile office — On-the-spot support 11 Forensic and technical support 17 The benefits of employing a Joint Investigation Team 21 Europol National Unit THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR ŀ TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 3 1 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:094 : 4 409:12 :09 2 THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR ŀ TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 4 2 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:094 : 4 409:12 :09 INTRODUCTION Have you ever had an investigation that came to a dead end? Perhaps there was a missing link? All your leads led nowhere? Have you had cases where your suspect was working with international criminals across the border? Europol could have helped you in all of these cases. Europol supports investigators in the 27 EU countries to prevent and combat all forms of serious international crime and terrorism. Europol of¿ cers have no direct powers of arrest. Their task is to support law enforcement colleagues working across Europe by gathering, analysing and dissem- inating criminal intelligence and coordinating international police operations. Europol’s partners use this input to prevent, detect and investigate crimes, and to track down and prosecute the criminals. Europol delivers a unique set of operational services for the European Union, acting as the: ŀ support centre for law enforcement operations ŀ criminal information hub and ŀ centre for law enforcement expertise. The European investigator provides a succinct overview of how EU law enforcement of- ¿ cers can bene¿ t from Europol’s operational support. Each chapter illustrates the different kind of assistance offered by Europol: 3 ŀ Operational analysis ŀ Mobile office — On-the-spot support ŀ Forensic and technical support ŀ The benefits of employing a Joint Investigation Team and ŀ Information on your Europol National Unit. If you think your investigation could bene¿ t from Europol’s assistance, please contact your Europol National Unit. © Andrzej Mitura THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR ŀ TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 5 3 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:094 : 4 409:12 :09 4 THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR ŀ TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 6 4 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:104 : 4 409:12 :10 OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS From an Austrian investigator: ‘The ¿ rst report came into our unit at the Austrian ment data had been recorded in many cases, Federal Police in Innsbruck late one November making it possible for us all to tap into this infor- evening. Ram-raiders had smashed open an elec- mation through Europol. trical retailer and got away with a large haul of electronic goods. Europol then hosted an operational meeting where the affected police authorities could dis- We soon started to see a pattern emerging, as cuss intelligence, tactics and future operations. four Austrian electronics stores from the same The Lithuanian authorities were obviously a key chain were systematically robbed in exactly the part of this international team of investigators same way. Modus operandi: The gang took a from six countries. stolen vehicle and drove it right through the front of the store, sometimes ¿ rst using a stone Intelligence revealed that this criminal group had cutter to destroy the protective concrete bol- organisers who were instructed by their Lithu- lards outside the shop. During the ram-raids, anian bosses as to which shops they should tar- up to ¿ ve people would rush into the store and, get and what they should steal. The organisers in under 90 seconds, they would bag loads of would then travel with their ‘soldiers’ to selected high-value electronics such as cameras, mo- countries and would visit the stores in advance bile phones, notebooks and MP3 players. All of to check the store layout and exact locations of this action was captured by the in-store CCTV the goods they wanted. They carried out the cameras. ram-raids in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Sweden — targeting the same two multinational 5 Based on evidence gathered, we soon realised chains of electronics shops. This gang had been that we were dealing with a Lithuanian organised responsible for at least 20 ram-raids throughout criminal group. This international link prompted Europe, clocking up damages alone estimated to us to get Europol involved. We got straight in be around EUR 1.5 million. touch with our Europol National Unit to start the process. We began the information exchange by The Lithuanian authorities gave the highest pri- providing any intelligence we already had on the ority to solving this case and, as a result, we gang which included data on their Lithuanian planned our day of action in Lithuania at a co- mobile phones being used in Austria. This data ordination meeting hosted by Eurojust. One April was fed into Europol’s information system and morning, 55 Lithuanian police of¿ cers, supported Europol’s analysis report came back, telling us by colleagues from Austria and Sweden, carried there were links to Belgium, France, Italy and out 16 house searches to catch the suspects and Sweden. The suspects had been police checked gather potential evidence. Two Europol of¿ cers on the road and at border crossings in several were on the spot to provide further support to countries — luckily, their ID and vehicle docu- the investigators. Ram-raiders rob the shop and bag their loot in under 90 seconds. © Jean-François Guiot THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR ŀ TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 7 5 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:104 : 4 409:12 :10 We had a successful day of action, deliver- to successfully tackle cross-border organised ing a major blow against the gang by putting crime together. 18 people behind bars. This was a perfect ex- ample of how effective international cooper- After the event, the electrical retailer affected ation can be. Europol, and its network of by these crimes informed us that, since the ar- liaison officers, supports and builds trust rests, no further ram-raids had been carried out between European law enforcement authorities in Europe, so it was an excellent result all round.’ ANALYTICAL SUPPORT 100 criminal analysts, who are among high-priority serious crime areas im- the best trained in the world and use pacting the European Union. state-of-the-art tools to uncover the activities of some of the most dan- Analytical support can be provided gerous organised crime and terrorist remotely from Europol premises, or networks operating in Europe. The de- in the ¿ eld. AWFs offer a variety of 6 livery of this work takes place within operational and strategic products the framework of an analysis work which are shared among participants. ¿ le (AWF). The AWF is an instrument Within an AWF, a speci¿ c target group unique to Europol, in which analysts or Joint Investigation Team can be set work together with organised crime up to meet the needs of a group of Analysis is at the core of Europol’s and terrorism specialists to gather Member States and to tackle a com- activities. It employs more than criminal intelligence. AWFs cover all mon criminal phenomenon. OPERATIONAL CENTRE 24/7 The main aim is to support law en- forcement agencies in their ongoing international investigations and to be the single point of contact for receiv- ing operational requests and informa- tion. This enables Europol analysts to run an overall search of all the Europol data systems, to search for any missing links in ongoing investi- gations. Europol’s operational coordin- © Rein Partel ation and support centre operates on a 24/7 basis. Europol supports more Europol provides a rapid and À exible centre is a central point where criminal than 12 000 serious crime and terror- response to ongoing international in- information from multiple sources and ism cases per year, with this number vestigations. The Europol operational multiple countries is cross-checked. increasing every year. THE EUROPEAN INVESTIGATOR ŀ TARGETING CRIMINALS ACROSS BORDERS QQL3009278EN_UKC_001.pdfkg105222_EN_UK_BAT.inddkg105222L3009278E ENN_U UKKC_0 BAT01.pd inddf 8 6 222/08/112/083/08/11/11 114:44:104 : 4 409:12 :10 SECURE INFORMATION EXCHANGE NETWORK APPLICATION (SIENA) Europol liaison of¿ cers, analysts and related information between Member experts use secure and innovative States, Europol and third parties with communication means in their work. which Europol has cooperation agree- SIENA is the new generation tool that ments. SIENA operates in a way that meets the 21st century communica- complies with all the legal require- tion needs of EU law enforcement. ments of data protection and con¿ den- It is used to manage the exchange tiality. It ensures the secure exchange © Shutterstock of operational and strategic crime- of sensitive information.