The European Union's law enforcement agency Europol on Friday published an analysis of 821 criminal groups that it said posed a major threat to the bloc's internal security.

The Hague-based agency — which wants the study to be a springboard for more finely tuned investigations — found that crime networks vary significantly in structure, activity, territorial control, and longevity.

What the analysis found

Some 25,000 individuals were found to be involved in the identified networks, which were selected for the threat they were thought to pose. In terms of membership counts for each group, these were thought to most often range between 8 and 38 members.

The syndicates were active in a range of crime areas, such as the drug trade, fraud, property crime, migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

Overall, 82% of organizations listed indulged in only one main criminal activity.

Narcotics distribution stood out as a key activity, with half of the most threatening criminal networks involved in drug trafficking either exclusively or as part of a wider portfolio.  A third had drug trafficking as their sole focus.

Within the EU, drug trafficking operations were most often located in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Those businesses most commonly had links with syndicates outside the EU in Albania, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and the United Kingdom. 

A key measure of threat was the network's ability to infiltrate the legal business world to create tools and fronts to disguise their crimes, with 86% of the most threatening criminal networks using legal business structures. Such links can also be used to launder criminal profits, the authors said.

Criminal enterprises operate across borders, with more than three-quarters of the groups present or active in two to seven countries.

Leaders of the most threatening criminal networks were said to ensure close control over business, with crime bosses usually preferring to stay close to their operations.

The report also found that 34% of the networks had been active for more than 10 years, suggesting they were "agile and resilient" with strong cohesion among members.

"During such extended periods of time, they are able to maintain their influence and power, even if leaders and members are detained," the report said. "They are often aware of law enforcement initiatives and actively apply countermeasures — potentially also aided by corruptive practices to obtain information from or infiltrate law enforcement or the judiciary."

How useful is the information?

Europol says the report — "Decoding the EU-s most threatening criminal networks" — means greater clarity in the fight against organized crime.

"Organized crime is one of the biggest threats we face today, threatening society with corruption and extreme violence," said European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. "We need to know what we're fighting."

All 27 EU Member States and 17 of Europol's partner countries contributed data to the study, with plans to use the data to target crime syndicates across borders.

"Criminals thrive in secrecy, but we are changing that. This Europol report is the most extensive study on key criminal networks ever undertaken at the European level by law enforcement," said Europol's Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle.

"This data, now centralized at Europol, will give law enforcement agencies the edge they need to better target and conduct cross-border criminal investigations."

European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said the findings would have "significant implications" for justice systems across the EU and the rule of law.

"Judges and prosecutors can only fight organized crime if they are free from intimidation, threats, or attempts to influence their professional integrity," said Reynders. "We must assure that this is the case."

Edited by: Louis Oelofse