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European organised crime uses internet as main tool
2011-05-07
The Net has turned into a major tool in EU large-scale crime, which as well as cybercrime uses it for drugs and human trafficking and cash laundering, Europol's top official declared Wed. . Though cyber- and PC related crime have constantly been around, there was a marked increase over the past 2 years in criminal groups turning to the Web to commit crimes considered to be "more traditional", Europol director Rob Wainwright declared. "Using the Net has become much more mainstream," Wainwright recounted at the releasing of the policing body's bi-annual large-scale crime threat assessment ( OCTA ). "It has become the principle facilitator for arranged crime." The OCTA report said : "In addition to the high technology crimes of cybercrime, payment card crime, the distribution of kid abuse material and audio visible robbery, in depth usage of the Net now also underpins unlawful drug synthesis, extraction and distribution." The Web was also at length used to signup human trafficking victims, assist illegal immigration, supply fake commodities, traffick in endangered wildlife and in plenty of other criminal activities, the report expounded. "It was also widely used as a secure communication and cash laundering tool by criminals," it added. Major crime groups derived more than 1.5 bn. Euro Bucks from payment card crime in the ECU , the report guestimated. Europol's 37-page report looked at the development of serious crime over the past 2 years. The report, which should go to justice and home affairs ministries round the ECU , will help states set crime-fighting concerns for the following 2 years, Wainwright declared.
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