Europol Warns of AI-Driven Crime Surge: A New Era of Sophisticated Threats

Criminals use AI in 'proxy' attacks for hostile powers, warns Europol

The EU's police agency Europol has warned that criminal organisations increasingly use artificial intelligence to stage attacks on behalf of hostile powers, posing an "unprecedented" security challenge to national governments. In its report on the threats posed by organised crime published on Tuesday, Europol warned that criminals were becoming "proxies" in hybrid attacks such as sabotage allegedly committed by Russia and China. "Geopolitical tensions have created a window for hybrid threat actors to exploit criminal networks as tools of interference," Europol wrote, adding that this was having a destabilising effect on EU countries. AI and other technologies such as blockchain or quantum computing have become a "catalyst" for crime, as they "drive criminal operations' efficiency by amplifying their speed, reach, and sophistication", the agency said. "Cyber crime is evolving into a digital arms race," said Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle. "AI-driven attacks are becoming more precise and devastating. Some attacks show a combination of motives of profit and destabilisation, as they are increasingly state aligned and ideologically motivated." Cyber attacks were increasingly politically motivated and targeting governments and critical infrastructure rather than businesses or individuals, carried out by criminal groups on behalf of state actors such as Russia. Criminal actors were exploiting vulnerabilities, such as those created by government contractors, to breach secure systems, Europol said. "We observe a growing collaboration between criminal networks and actors orchestrating hybrid threats, exploiting geopolitical tensions and undermining our institutions," De Bolle said, adding that crime was being "accelerated by AI" and other technologies. The use of AI by criminal gangs is a new development compared with Europol's last report published in 2021, when artificial intelligence was mentioned only once. The technology is being used to create sophisticated malware used for cyber attacks, or generate targeted messages to deceive victims, for instance by mimicking family and friends' voices, writing styles, or their images for fake live videos. "By creating highly realistic synthetic media, criminals are able to deceive victims, impersonate individuals and discredit or blackmail targets," Europol wrote. AI had also "accelerated" online fraud and helped criminals access personal data, for instance through automated phishing attacks. "The scale, variety, sophistication and reach of online fraud schemes is unprecedented," Europol said, citing strategies such as luring consumers to invest in dubious schemes, for instance involving cryptocurrencies, or to pay money to purported romantic partners or victims of ongoing conflicts or humanitarian crises. The organisation also warned that AI models were generating child abuse material, which was increasingly being shared online in private forums and chats. De Bolle has previously called for the implementation of new EU rules to tackle online child abuse material by sifting encrypted message services like WhatsApp, but countries like Germany have been blocking them over privacy concerns. Europol also warned that more traditional cross-border crimes such as the smuggling of immigrants, drugs, firearms and waste remained a serious issue, and violence linked to organised crime was on the rise in some countries, citing for instance attacks in Germany. It said that "parts of these criminal activities' processes are shifting more to the online domain, particularly when it comes to recruitment, communication, marketing or retail, and relevant use cases of AI are on the horizon". Europol said that the different criminal activities generated "immense" profits that were laundered through illicit means and cryptocurrencies, but very hard to recover -- estimating that only 2 per cent of illicit proceeds were confiscated.

Europol warns of AI-driven crime threats

March 18 (Reuters) - Organised crime gangs are turning to AI-powered scams and payment systems to target victims, allowing them to rapidly and more cheaply scale up operations globally and making them harder to detect, Europol warned on Tuesday. The technology means they can craft messages in multiple languages and create highly realistic dupes to impersonate individuals and blackmail targets in global cyberfraud operations, the law enforcement agency of the EU said in its European Serious Organised Crime Threat Assessment report. Criminals are also using generative artificial intelligence to produce child sexual abuse material, it said. "The very DNA of organised crime is changing. Criminal networks have evolved into global, technology-driven criminal enterprises, exploiting digital platforms, illicit financial flows, and geopolitical instability to expand their influence," Catherine De Bolle, Europol's executive director, said. The agency said elements of every criminal process were increasingly moving online, including recruitment, communication and payment systems. "The same qualities that make AI revolutionary - accessibility, adaptability, and sophistication - also make it a powerful tool for criminal networks," Europol said. "These technologies are automating and expanding criminal operations, making them more scalable and harder to detect." The report warned that the emergence of fully autonomous AI, in which systems plan and execute tasks without human guidance, "could pave the way for entirely AI-controlled criminal networks, marking a new era in organised crime". In late February, Europol announced the arrest of two dozen people for distributing AI-generated child abuse images. The operation was one of the first involving AI-generated child abuse material, Europol said at the time, adding there was a lack of national legislation surrounding the use of AI tools for this purpose. In early December, it said it had taken down an encrypted messaging service MATRIX that was used for international drug and arms trafficking. Europol on Tuesday listed cyber attacks, migrant smuggling, drug and firearms trafficking and wrongdoing in waste management among the fastest growing criminal threats on the continent. Reporting by Michal Aleksandrowicz; Editing by Alison Williams Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Disrupted

AI is turbocharging organized crime, EU police agency warns

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- The European Union's law enforcement agency cautioned Tuesday that artificial intelligence is turbocharging organized crime that is eroding the foundations of societies across the 27-nation bloc as it becomes intertwined with state-sponsored destabilization campaigns. The grim warning came at the launch of the latest edition of a report on organized crime published every four years by Europol that is compiled using data from police across the EU and will help shape law enforcement policy in the bloc in coming years. "Cybercrime is evolving into a digital arms race targeting governments, businesses and individuals. AI-driven attacks are becoming more precise and devastating," said Europol's Executive Director Catherine De Bolle. "Some attacks show a combination of motives of profit and destabilization, as they are increasingly state-aligned and ideologically motivated," she added. The report, the EU Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment 2025, said offenses ranging from drug trafficking to people smuggling, money laundering, cyber attacks and online scams undermine society and the rule of law "by generating illicit proceeds, spreading violence, and normalizing corruption." The volume of child sexual abuse material available online has increased significantly because of AI, which makes it more difficult to analyze imagery and identify offenders, the report said. "By creating highly realistic synthetic media, criminals are able to deceive victims, impersonate individuals and discredit or blackmail targets. The addition of AI-powered voice cloning and live video deepfakes amplifies the threat, enabling new forms of fraud, extortion, and identity theft," it said. States seeking geopolitical advantage are also using criminals as contractors, the report said, citing cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and public institutions "originating from Russia and countries in its sphere of influence." "Hybrid and traditional cybercrime actors will increasingly be intertwined, with state-sponsored actors masking themselves as cybercriminals to conceal their origin and real disruption motives," it said. Polish Interior Ministry Undersecretary of State Maciej Duszczyk cited a recent cyberattack on a hospital as the latest example in his country. "Unfortunately this hospital has to stop its activity for the hours because it was lost to a serious cyber-attack," boosted by AI, he said. AI and other technologies "are a catalyst for crime, and drive criminal operations' efficiency by amplifying their speed, reach, and sophistication," the report said. As the European Commission prepares to launch a new internal security policy, De Bolle said that nations in Europe need to tackle the threats urgently. "We must embed security into everything we do," said European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. He added that the EU aims to provide enough funds in coming years to double Europol's staff.

AI 'reshaping' organized crime, warns Europol

Artificial intelligence is turbocharging organized crime, from creating child sexual abuse images to money laundering via cryptocurrency, Europol warned Tuesday, with advances like quantum computing only poised to make things worse. In a report laying out the threats posed by organized crime, the European police organization said criminals had seized on the opportunities offered by AI as a "catalyst" to accelerate their activities. "Rapid technological advancements -- especially in artificial intelligence (AI) -- are reshaping how crime is organized, executed, and concealed," Europol said in a detailed 80-page "threat assessment" report. "These shifts are making organized crime more dangerous, posing an unprecedented challenge to security across the EU and its member states," the police added. The use of AI and other technologies are helping criminals across the whole of their portfolio -- from drug and human trafficking, to cybercrime and identity theft. Generative AI enables criminal gangs to hit their targets more globally across multiple languages and even generate child sexual abuse images, the police report warned. "Explicit pictures of adults can be manipulated to make the individual look younger or applications can 'nudify' non-explicit images," the report said. "The very qualities that make AI revolutionary -- accessibility, versatility, and sophistication -- have made it an attractive tool for criminals," noted Europol. 'AI-controlled criminals' Technology is also making it harder for authorities to recover ill-gotten gains. Confiscation of proceeds from crime has stagnated at around 2%, the police said, with the challenge "further exacerbated by the increasing criminal exploitation of digital assets." Criminal groups are using cryptocurrency to launder money and move funds around, making it hard to track and eventually confiscate. "The criminal exploitation of cryptocurrency as a payment method now has moved beyond the scope of cybercrime, and is encountered increasingly in more traditional crime areas such as drug trafficking or migrant smuggling." As technology improves, the boost to criminal activity is only likely to increase, according to Europol, noting the rapid developments in quantum computing, the metaverse, 6G, unmanned systems and brain-computer interfaces. "The high levels of anonymity, speed, and sophistication currently demonstrated by criminal networks will only likely increase over the coming years," cautioned the report. Quantum computing in particular will enable criminals to crack current encryption technology with ease. Finally, the police raised the dystopian prospect of criminal gangs run entirely by AI. "The emergence of fully autonomous AI could pave the way for entirely AI-controlled criminal networks, marking a new era in organized crime," said the report.

Fully Autonomous AI Could Control Criminal Networks: Europol - Decrypt

Europol has warned that blockchain and AI will "accelerate serious and organised crime" in the coming years, with a new report from the EU law enforcement agency even predicting that fully autonomous AI "could pave the way for entirely AI-controlled criminal networks." In its 2025 Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment, Europol suggested that the combination of AI and crypto will serve to expand online fraud schemes, which already represent "the most rapidly expanding sector" in organised crime. "Narratives are extremely realistic, crafted with the help of AI, and incorporating trending societal topics," the report's authors wrote. "Cryptocurrency features prominently as a payment method." While not data-focused, the assessment offers a broad and far-reaching summary of the expanding role cryptocurrencies are now playing in serious crime in Europe. The report concluded that cryptocurrency has "moved beyond the scope of cybercrime" and is found increasingly in more "traditional" areas such as "drug trafficking or migrant smuggling." Other varieties of crime which crypto facilitates include cyberattacks, online fraud, sanctions evasion, and also the trafficking of human beings. Written by senior researchers in the fields of crime and security, the starkest warning comes with respect to how the emergence of AI may effectively help automate such criminal activity on an industrial scale. The report's authors state that AI's automation capabilities are already making criminal operations more efficient and expansive. "From automating phishing campaigns to executing large-scale cyber-attacks, AI enables criminals to achieve more - reach more victims, be more targeted in their approach, and expand their global reach - with fewer resources," the report read. Among the cybercriminal uses of AI, the assessment lists "attack automation, social engineering, and bypassing security measures," which again are making cyberattacks more scalable. Europol's evaluation of finds support in private research, with blockchain intelligence platform TRM Labs releasing a report in January of this year which revealed that bad actors "are increasingly leveraging AI to carry out hacks and conduct fraud." Isabella Chase, the Head of Policy for EMEA at TRM Labs, told Decrypt that there are three primary ways in which criminals are already using AI. The first relates to the automation of attacks, with AI-based tools enabling "the automation of phishing campaigns, creating highly convincing messages at scale," according to Chase. Related to this is how criminals are using AI to create deepfakes and other synthetic media. "Criminals use AI to build convincing deepfakes or to embellish existing stolen identities to dupe victims," she said. "This is increasingly important for business compromise, which is the most profitable form of online fraud." Less visibly, AI is also being used to support cybercrime and other exploits by providing criminals with additional information, providing data and details they may have otherwise missed. As Chase explains, "AI algorithms optimize ransomware operations by identifying the most critical data or systems to encrypt for maximum leverage [...] AI also allows malware to adapt dynamically to evade real-time detection." The use of AI is likely already adding millions on to the cost of organised crime, but TRM Labs estimates that more criminals will adopt AI "in the coming years" as they experiment with different ways of harnessing it for their particular ends. "Criminals will use AI for targeting and engaging with victims whether these be individuals or entities," Chase told Decrypt, adding that the technology will also be used for "more programmatic laundering of criminal funds which could make it easier to profit from crime." While this may paint a bleak picture, Chase ultimately suggested that there will be a parallel growth in law enforcement and the private sector using AI and more advanced analytic tools, thereby improving "their ability to identify criminals and their activities."

AI 'reshaping' organised crime, warns Europol

The Hague (AFP) - Artificial intelligence is turbocharging organised crime, from creating child sexual abuse images to money laundering via cryptocurrency, Europol warned Tuesday, with advances like quantum computing only poised to make things worse. Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle described the report as a "wake-up call" for law enforcement, telling top officers from around Europe that "the future of European security is in our hands". "This is a fight of the rule of law, for our communities, for our businesses, and for the future of our children. We will not let organised crime dictate the rules of the game," she said. In its report laying out the threats posed by organised crime, the European police organisation said criminals had seized on the opportunities offered by AI as a "catalyst" to accelerate their activities. "Rapid technological advancements -- especially in artificial intelligence (AI) -- are reshaping how crime is organised, executed, and concealed," Europol said in a detailed 80-page "threat assessment" report. "These shifts are making organised crime more dangerous, posing an unprecedented challenge to security across the EU and its member states," the police added. The use of AI and other technologies are helping criminals across the whole of their portfolio -- from drug and human trafficking, to cybercrime and identity theft. Generative AI enables criminal gangs to hit their targets more globally across multiple languages and even generate child sexual abuse images, the police report warned. "Explicit pictures of adults can be manipulated to make the individual look younger or applications can 'nudify' non-explicit images," the report said. "The very qualities that make AI revolutionary -- accessibility, versatility, and sophistication -- have made it an attractive tool for criminals," noted Europol. 'AI-controlled criminals' Technology is also making it harder for authorities to recover ill-gotten gains. Confiscation of proceeds from crime has stagnated at around two percent, the police said, with the challenge "further exacerbated by the increasing criminal exploitation of digital assets". Criminal groups are using cryptocurrency to launder money and move funds around, making it hard to track and eventually confiscate. "The criminal exploitation of cryptocurrency as a payment method now has moved beyond the scope of cybercrime, and is encountered increasingly in more traditional crime areas such as drug trafficking or migrant smuggling." As technology improves, the boost to criminal activity is only likely to increase, according to Europol, noting the rapid developments in quantum computing, the metaverse, 6G, unmanned systems and brain-computer interfaces. "The high levels of anonymity, speed, and sophistication currently demonstrated by criminal networks will only likely increase over the coming years," cautioned the report. Quantum computing in particular will enable criminals to crack current encryption technology with ease. Finally, the police raised the dystopian prospect of criminal gangs run entirely by AI. "The emergence of fully autonomous AI could pave the way for entirely AI-controlled criminal networks, marking a new era in organised crime," said the report.

AI is turbocharging organized crime, E.U. police agency warns

Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle in Brussels in 2024.Virginia Mayo / AP file THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The European Union's law enforcement agency cautioned Tuesday that artificial intelligence is turbocharging organized crime that is eroding the foundations of societies across the 27-nation bloc as it becomes intertwined with state-sponsored destabilization campaigns. The grim warning came at the launch of the latest edition of a report on organized crime published every four years by Europol that is compiled using data from police across the E.U. and will help shape law enforcement policy in the bloc in coming years. "Cybercrime is evolving into a digital arms race targeting governments, businesses and individuals. AI-driven attacks are becoming more precise and devastating," said Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle. "Some attacks show a combination of motives of profit and destabilization, as they are increasingly state-aligned and ideologically motivated," she added. The report, the E.U. Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment 2025, said offenses ranging from drug trafficking to people smuggling, money laundering, cyber attacks and online scams undermine society and the rule of law "by generating illicit proceeds, spreading violence, and normalizing corruption." The volume of child sexual abuse material available online has increased significantly because of AI, which makes it more difficult to analyze imagery and identify offenders, the report said. "By creating highly realistic synthetic media, criminals are able to deceive victims, impersonate individuals and discredit or blackmail targets. The addition of AI-powered voice cloning and live video deepfakes amplifies the threat, enabling new forms of fraud, extortion, and identity theft," it said. States seeking geopolitical advantage are also using criminals as contractors, the report said, citing cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and public institutions "originating from Russia and countries in its sphere of influence." "Hybrid and traditional cybercrime actors will increasingly be intertwined, with state-sponsored actors masking themselves as cybercriminals to conceal their origin and real disruption motives," it said. Polish Interior Ministry Undersecretary of State Maciej Duszczyk cited a recent cyberattack on a hospital as the latest example in his country. "Unfortunately this hospital has to stop its activity for the hours because it was lost to a serious cyber-attack," boosted by AI, he said. AI and other technologies "are a catalyst for crime, and drive criminal operations' efficiency by amplifying their speed, reach, and sophistication," the report said. As the European Commission prepares to launch a new internal security policy, De Bolle said that nations in Europe need to tackle the threats urgently. "We must embed security into everything we do," said European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. He added that the E.U. aims to provide enough funds in coming years to double Europol's staff.

AI is turbocharging organized crime, EU police agency warns

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- The European Union's law enforcement agency cautioned Tuesday that artificial intelligence is turbocharging organized crime that is eroding the foundations of societies across the 27-nation bloc as it becomes intertwined with state-sponsored destabilization campaigns. The grim warning came at the launch of the latest edition of a report on organized crime published every four years by Europol that is compiled using data from police across the EU and will help shape law enforcement policy in the bloc in coming years. "Cybercrime is evolving into a digital arms race targeting governments, businesses and individuals. AI-driven attacks are becoming more precise and devastating," said Europol's Executive Director Catherine De Bolle. "Some attacks show a combination of motives of profit and destabilization, as they are increasingly state-aligned and ideologically motivated," she added. The report, the EU Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment 2025, said offenses ranging from drug trafficking to people smuggling, money laundering, cyber attacks and online scams undermine society and the rule of law "by generating illicit proceeds, spreading violence, and normalizing corruption." The volume of child sexual abuse material available online has increased significantly because of AI, which makes it more difficult to analyze imagery and identify offenders, the report said. "By creating highly realistic synthetic media, criminals are able to deceive victims, impersonate individuals and discredit or blackmail targets. The addition of AI-powered voice cloning and live video deepfakes amplifies the threat, enabling new forms of fraud, extortion, and identity theft," it said. States seeking geopolitical advantage are also using criminals as contractors, the report said, citing cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and public institutions "originating from Russia and countries in its sphere of influence." "Hybrid and traditional cybercrime actors will increasingly be intertwined, with state-sponsored actors masking themselves as cybercriminals to conceal their origin and real disruption motives," it said. Polish Interior Ministry Undersecretary of State Maciej Duszczyk cited a recent cyberattack on a hospital as the latest example in his country. "Unfortunately this hospital has to stop its activity for the hours because it was lost to a serious cyber-attack," boosted by AI, he said. AI and other technologies "are a catalyst for crime, and drive criminal operations' efficiency by amplifying their speed, reach, and sophistication," the report said. As the European Commission prepares to launch a new internal security policy, De Bolle said that nations in Europe need to tackle the threats urgently. "We must embed security into everything we do," said European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. He added that the EU aims to provide enough funds in coming years to double Europol's staff.

AI and crypto drive criminal efficiency: Europol

Europol's report highlights how AI-driven automation and crypto tools fuel scams, phishing, trafficking, and financial crimes across Europe. The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) published a report explaining how artificial intelligence and crypto affected organized crime. In a threat assessment report on serious and organized crime, Europol stated that AI and crypto play a role in criminal efficiency. The law enforcement organization said criminal networks have demonstrated an ability to rapidly adapt to new technology. The report said AI's transformative qualities make it an attractive tool for criminals. The report said that generative AI had "lowered the barriers to entry" for digital crimes. The government agency said AI lets criminals craft messages in multiple languages, targeting victims more precisely and globally. It also allowed malicious actors to create malware and child sexual abuse material. Europol also stated that AI's automation capabilities have been transforming the efficiency of criminal operations. The government agency said criminals can automate their phishing campaigns using AI. Because of this, malicious actors can reach more victims with large-scale cyberattacks. Europol said in the report that realistic synthetic media allows criminals to deceive victims, impersonate individuals and blackmail their targets. The organization wrote: "The addition of AI-powered voice cloning and live video deepfakes amplifies the threat, enabling new forms of fraud, extortion, and identity theft." On Feb. 13, Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis said that generative AI is "amplifying scams." The analytics company said AI is making scams more affordable and more scalable. Chainalysis' head of fraud products, Elad Fouk, said AI facilitates the creation of fake identities, allowing fraudsters to impersonate real users. Apart from AI, the report also noted how blockchain-based technologies like cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have moved beyond cybercrime and are now involved in other traditional crime areas. This includes drug trafficking and migrant smuggling. Europol also said that more criminal schemes have emerged to steal crypto, NFTs and resources used to mine crypto. Related: Hacker breaks into AI crypto bot aixbt's dashboard to snatch 55 ETH The most recent high-profile criminal activity in the crypto space is the Bybit hack, which led to nearly $1.5 billion in losses. In a Telegram post, crypto investigator ZachXBT said the hack has been "eye-opening," showing how the industry is "unbelievably cooked" with hacks and exploits. The crypto sleuth said the industry may be unable to fix itself unless the government "forcibly passes regulations that hurt our entire industry." The investigator shared that as he helped freeze funds related to the hack, he witnessed flaws with decentralized and centralized protocols. ZachXBT wrote: "Several 'decentralized' protocols have recently had nearly 100% of their monthly volume/fees derived from DPRK and refuse to take any accountability." The crypto investigator said North Korean hackers laundering the funds have demonstrated the flaws of Know Your Transaction and Know Your Customer protocols. "Centralized exchanges end up being worse as when illicit funds flow through them a few take multiple hours to respond when it only takes minutes to launder," ZachXBT said.

Europol Warns of AI-Driven Crime Threats

(Reuters) - Organised crime gangs are turning to AI-powered scams and payment systems to target victims, allowing them to rapidly and more cheaply scale up operations globally and making them harder to detect, Europol warned on Tuesday. The technology means they can craft messages in multiple languages and create highly realistic dupes to impersonate individuals and blackmail targets in global cyberfraud operations, the law enforcement agency of the EU said in its European Serious Organised Crime Threat Assessment report. Criminals are also using generative artificial intelligence to produce child sexual abuse material, it said. "The very DNA of organised crime is changing. Criminal networks have evolved into global, technology-driven criminal enterprises, exploiting digital platforms, illicit financial flows, and geopolitical instability to expand their influence," Catherine De Bolle, Europol's executive director, said. The agency said elements of every criminal process were increasingly moving online, including recruitment, communication and payment systems. "The same qualities that make AI revolutionary - accessibility, adaptability, and sophistication - also make it a powerful tool for criminal networks," Europol said. "These technologies are automating and expanding criminal operations, making them more scalable and harder to detect." The report warned that the emergence of fully autonomous AI, in which systems plan and execute tasks without human guidance, "could pave the way for entirely AI-controlled criminal networks, marking a new era in organised crime". In late February, Europol announced the arrest of two dozen people for distributing AI-generated child abuse images. The operation was one of the first involving AI-generated child abuse material, Europol said at the time, adding there was a lack of national legislation surrounding the use of AI tools for this purpose. In early December, it said it had taken down an encrypted messaging service MATRIX that was used for international drug and arms trafficking. Europol on Tuesday listed cyber attacks, migrant smuggling, drug and firearms trafficking and wrongdoing in waste management among the fastest growing criminal threats on the continent. (Reporting by Michal Aleksandrowicz; Editing by Alison Williams)

AI Is Turbocharging Organized Crime, EU Police Agency Warns

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- The European Union's law enforcement agency cautioned Tuesday that artificial intelligence is turbocharging organized crime that is eroding the foundations of societies across the 27-nation bloc as it becomes intertwined with state-sponsored destabilization campaigns. The grim warning came at the launch of the latest edition of a report on organized crime published every four years by Europol that is compiled using data from police across the EU and will help shape law enforcement policy in the bloc in coming years. "Cybercrime is evolving into a digital arms race targeting governments, businesses and individuals. AI-driven attacks are becoming more precise and devastating," said Europol's Executive Director Catherine De Bolle. "Some attacks show a combination of motives of profit and destabilization, as they are increasingly state-aligned and ideologically motivated," she added. The report, the EU Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment 2025, said offenses ranging from drug trafficking to people smuggling, money laundering, cyber attacks and online scams undermine society and the rule of law "by generating illicit proceeds, spreading violence, and normalizing corruption." The volume of child sexual abuse material available online has increased significantly because of AI, which makes it more difficult to analyze imagery and identify offenders, the report said. "By creating highly realistic synthetic media, criminals are able to deceive victims, impersonate individuals and discredit or blackmail targets. The addition of AI-powered voice cloning and live video deepfakes amplifies the threat, enabling new forms of fraud, extortion, and identity theft," it said. States seeking geopolitical advantage are also using criminals as contractors, the report said, citing cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and public institutions "originating from Russia and countries in its sphere of influence." "Hybrid and traditional cybercrime actors will increasingly be intertwined, with state-sponsored actors masking themselves as cybercriminals to conceal their origin and real disruption motives," it said. Polish Interior Ministry Undersecretary of State Maciej Duszczyk cited a recent cyberattack on a hospital as the latest example in his country. "Unfortunately this hospital has to stop its activity for the hours because it was lost to a serious cyber-attack," boosted by AI, he said. AI and other technologies "are a catalyst for crime, and drive criminal operations' efficiency by amplifying their speed, reach, and sophistication," the report said. As the European Commission prepares to launch a new internal security policy, De Bolle said that nations in Europe need to tackle the threats urgently. "We must embed security into everything we do," said European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. He added that the EU aims to provide enough funds in coming years to double Europol's staff. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AI 'reshaping' organised crime, warns Europol

Artificial intelligence is turbocharging organised crime, from creating child sexual abuse images to money laundering via cryptocurrency, Europol warned Tuesday, with advances like quantum computing only poised to make things worse. Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle described the report as a "wake-up call" for law enforcement, telling top officers from around Europe that "the future of European security is in our hands". "This is a fight of the rule of law, for our communities, for our businesses, and for the future of our children. We will not let organised crime dictate the rules of the game," she said. In its report laying out the threats posed by organised crime, the European police organisation said criminals had seized on the opportunities offered by AI as a "catalyst" to accelerate their activities. "Rapid technological advancements -- especially in artificial intelligence (AI) -- are reshaping how crime is organised, executed, and concealed," Europol said in a detailed 80-page "threat assessment" report. "These shifts are making organised crime more dangerous, posing an unprecedented challenge to security across the EU and its member states," the police added. The use of AI and other technologies are helping criminals across the whole of their portfolio -- from drug and human trafficking, to cybercrime and identity theft. Generative AI enables criminal gangs to hit their targets more globally across multiple languages and even generate child sexual abuse images, the police report warned. "Explicit pictures of adults can be manipulated to make the individual look younger or applications can 'nudify' non-explicit images," the report said. "The very qualities that make AI revolutionary -- accessibility, versatility, and sophistication -- have made it an attractive tool for criminals," noted Europol. 'AI-controlled criminals' Technology is also making it harder for authorities to recover ill-gotten gains. Confiscation of proceeds from crime has stagnated at around two percent, the police said, with the challenge "further exacerbated by the increasing criminal exploitation of digital assets". Criminal groups are using cryptocurrency to launder money and move funds around, making it hard to track and eventually confiscate. "The criminal exploitation of cryptocurrency as a payment method now has moved beyond the scope of cybercrime, and is encountered increasingly in more traditional crime areas such as drug trafficking or migrant smuggling." As technology improves, the boost to criminal activity is only likely to increase, according to Europol, noting the rapid developments in quantum computing, the metaverse, 6G, unmanned systems and brain-computer interfaces. "The high levels of anonymity, speed, and sophistication currently demonstrated by criminal networks will only likely increase over the coming years," cautioned the report. Quantum computing in particular will enable criminals to crack current encryption technology with ease. Finally, the police raised the dystopian prospect of criminal gangs run entirely by AI. "The emergence of fully autonomous AI could pave the way for entirely AI-controlled criminal networks, marking a new era in organised crime," said the report.

AI-driven crime surges as Europol warns of evolving threats

Europol's latest report, released on Tuesday, paints a stark picture of criminal networks leveraging artificial intelligence to scale operations, evade detection, and exploit victims with unprecedented efficiency. From AI-powered scams to the production of child sexual abuse material, the agency warns that the very nature of crime is shifting, driven by the accessibility and adaptability of cutting-edge technologies. The report highlights how AI enables criminals to craft multilingual phishing messages, create hyper-realistic deepfakes, and automate illicit financial systems, making their operations both more sophisticated and harder to trace. Europol also raised significant concerns about the potential rise of fully autonomous AI systems, which could eventually operate sprawling criminal networks without human intervention, marking a dangerous shift in the global crime landscape. Recent operations, including the takedown of an encrypted messaging service used for drug and arms trafficking, underscore the growing challenges faced by law enforcement. For now, it remains to be seen how authorities will adapt to this rapidly evolving threat landscape.

AI 'reshaping' organised crime, warns Europol

Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken on Feb. 19, 2024. Artificial intelligence is turbocharging organized crime, from creating child sexual abuse images to money laundering via cryptocurrency, Europol warned Tuesday. Reuters-Yonhap Artificial intelligence is turbocharging organized crime, from creating child sexual abuse images to money laundering via cryptocurrency, Europol warned Tuesday, with advances like quantum computing only poised to make things worse. In a report laying out the threats posed by organized crime, the European police organisation said criminals had seized on the opportunities offered by AI as a "catalyst" to accelerate their activities. "Rapid technological advancements -- especially in artificial intelligence (AI) -- are reshaping how crime is organised, executed, and concealed," Europol said in a detailed 80-page "threat assessment" report. "These shifts are making organised crime more dangerous, posing an unprecedented challenge to security across the EU and its member states," the police added. The use of AI and other technologies are helping criminals across the whole of their portfolio -- from drug and human trafficking, to cybercrime and identity theft. Generative AI enables criminal gangs to hit their targets more globally across multiple languages and even generate child sexual abuse images, the police report warned. "Explicit pictures of adults can be manipulated to make the individual look younger or applications can 'nudify' non-explicit images," the report said. "The very qualities that make AI revolutionary -- accessibility, versatility, and sophistication -- have made it an attractive tool for criminals," noted Europol. Technology is also making it harder for authorities to recover ill-gotten gains. Confiscation of proceeds from crime has stagnated at around two percent, the police said, with the challenge "further exacerbated by the increasing criminal exploitation of digital assets." Criminal groups are using cryptocurrency to launder money and move funds around, making it hard to track and eventually confiscate. "The criminal exploitation of cryptocurrency as a payment method now has moved beyond the scope of cybercrime, and is encountered increasingly in more traditional crime areas such as drug trafficking or migrant smuggling." As technology improves, the boost to criminal activity is only likely to increase, according to Europol, noting the rapid developments in quantum computing, the metaverse, 6G, unmanned systems and brain-computer interfaces. "The high levels of anonymity, speed, and sophistication currently demonstrated by criminal networks will only likely increase over the coming years," cautioned the report. Quantum computing in particular will enable criminals to crack current encryption technology with ease. Finally, the police raised the dystopian prospect of criminal gangs run entirely by AI. "The emergence of fully autonomous AI could pave the way for entirely AI-controlled criminal networks, marking a new era in organised crime," said the report. (AFP)