Menace to society: Criminal gangs in Europe are infiltrating the legal world, Europol says

Criminal networks in the European Union are penetrating legal businesses across the 27-nation bloc and rely heavily on corruption to develop their activities. That's the bleak picture emerging from a report published Friday by the EU crime agency.

Europol has identified 821 particularly threatening criminal networks with more than 25,000 members in the bloc.

According to the agency, 86% of those networks are able to infiltrate the legal economy to hide their activities and launder their criminal profits.

Europol cited the example of a gang leader identified as an Italian businessman of Argentinian origin residing in Marbella, Spain. The individual specialized in drug trafficking and money laundering and manages several companies, including one that imports bananas from Ecuador to the EU. He also owns sports centers in Marbella, commercial centers in Granada and multiple bars and restaurants, it said.

“An Albanian accomplice, based in Ecuador, takes care of the import of cocaine from Colombia to Ecuador and the subsequent distribution to the EU. Ecuadorian fruit companies are used as a front for these criminal activities,” the report said.

Europol also cites families from Italy’s ’Ndrangheta organized crime syndicate, one of the world’s most powerful, extensive and wealthy drug-trafficking groups. Their profits from drug and arms trafficking as well as tax defrauding are invested throughout Europe in real estate, supermarkets, hotels and other commercial activities, it said.

Another characteristic of these networks is the borderless nature of their structure, with 112 nationalities represented among their members, the report said.

“However, looking at the locations of their core activities, the vast majority maintain a strong geographical focus and do not extend their...