Europol today released its mapping of the continent’s 821 “most threatening” criminal networks, detailing the inner workings of gangs with activities ranging from drug trafficking to human trafficking.

The European Police Service, based in The Hague, has published a report which, for the first time, “examines in depth” the operations of Europe’s worst criminal networks.

The report places particular emphasis on the “strategy used by criminal networks to penetrate the world of legal services, as a means to commit crimes, using them as a front to cover up crimes and as a vehicle to launder the proceeds of crime.” .

Today, around 86% of Europe’s most dangerous criminal gangs use “legitimate business structures”.

The construction and real estate sectors, the hotel and logistics sectors are the most frequent targets.

The gangs prefer the real estate sector as a means of laundering and turn to lawyers or financial experts “who are sometimes unaware of the criminal origin of the funds”, according to the Europol report.

According to Europol, nightclubs are linked to drug trafficking and extortion, as well as human and arms trafficking.

In the logistics sector, particularly in major European ports, private sector workers are “systematically” targeted for corruption because they can “facilitate unhindered access to ports and port mechanisms.”

Most of Europe’s most dangerous gangs focus on the drug trade – cocaine, cannabis, heroin and synthetic drugs – and their operations are mainly concentrated in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

Dubai has been turned into a “remote coordination centre”, where high-ranking members of the gang hierarchy reside to avoid detection by law enforcement.

“However, if we look at the geographic location of the heads of criminal networks, Dubai does not appear to stand out as an isolated haven,” the report said.

Many of the most dangerous criminal networks have been operating for years. A third have been operating for over a decade, while some have managed to keep their operations running from the prison.

“The attention of law enforcement should remain focused on long-known criminal networks, even if they are under police surveillance and even if measures have already been taken against them,” Europol recommends.