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Europol Report Finds 86% of Top EU Crime Groups Exploit Legal Companies. Nearly nine in 10 of the European Union's most threatening criminal networks exploit legitimate businesses to launder money and conceal illegal activities, according to a new Europol analysis. The report found that 86% of the 821 highest-risk criminal networks abuse legal businesses to support crimes including drug trafficking, fraud, human trafficking and money laundering. Criminal organizations increasingly infiltrate or acquire legitimate businesses, allowing them to mix legal and illegal operations while making detection more difficult. Sectors such as construction, transport, hospitality, logistics and real estate are particularly vulnerable because they provide opportunities to disguise illicit profits and criminal operations. The agency also warned that corruption and insider assistance from employees or executives enable criminal groups to strengthen their influence over legitimate markets. While the exploitation of legal businesses is a global phenomenon, most of the companies involved are located within the EU or neighbouring countries. Europol says the findings highlight the need for closer cooperation between regulators, businesses and public authorities to prevent organized crime from infiltrating further into the economy.
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