ORGANISED CRIMINALS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION BOOSTED CROSS-BORDER COMMMUNICATION WITH EACH OTHER LAST YEAR AND EXPANDED THEIR FIELDS OF ACTIVITIES, THE EUROPEAN POLICE AGENCY SAYS IN ITS 2005 ANNUAL REPORT, REUTERS REPORTED. "ORGANISED CRIME GROUPS HAVE DEMONSTRATED IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS AMONGST THEMSELVES," ACCORDING TO THE CONFIDENTIAL EUROPOL REPORT, OBTAINED BY REUTERS ON WEDNESDAY. "THEY NOT ONLY SEND INFORMATION TO EACH OTHER, BUT ALSO...COOPERATE WITH (EACH) OTHER." THE PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS SUCH AS ECSTASY AND AMPHETAMINES IN THE EU WAS CONTROLLED BY BELGIAN AND DUTCH CRIME GROUPS, AND COCAINE MAINLY ENTERED VIA BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS AND SPAIN, THE REPORT SAID. MOST OF THE HEROIN ENTERING THE EUROPEAN UNION CAME FROM THE OPIUM POPPY FIELDS IN AFGHANISTAN. THAT TRAFFIC WAS DOMINATED BY TURKISH AND ASSOCIATED CRIMINAL GROUPS. EUROPOL SAW AN INCREASE IN FRAUD BY CRIME GROUPS AS A PART OF TREND "TOWARDS SOPHISTICATED OFFENCES, WHERE THE POTENTIAL GAINS OUTWEIGH THE RISKS". "ORGANISED FINANCIAL CRIMES INFILTRATE ALL LEVELS OF EU SOCIETY, DAMAGING GOVERNMENTS' BUDGETS, COMPANIES' PROFITS AND INDIVIDUALS' ASSETS," THE REPORT SAID. ANOTHER TREND WAS THAT CRIMINAL GROUPS WERE INCREASINGLY ETHNICALLY VARIED. THE REPORT SAID THAT "TERRORISM AND IN PARTICULAR ISLAMIC EXTREMIST TERRORISM WILL REMAIN A MAJOR THREAT TO EUROPE'S SECURITY FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE". EUROPOL WAS CREATED IN 1999 TO IMPROVE COOPERATION BETWEEN NATIONAL POLICE FORCES IN SUCH FIELDS AS DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MONEY LAUNDERING. ITS 590 STAFF, BASED IN THE HAGUE, PROVIDE POLICE IN THE 25 EU MEMBER STATES WITH SUPPORT AND ANALYSIS, ALTHOUGH EUROPOL ITSELF IS HAS NO POWERS TO MAKE ARRESTS. -
