Between 13 and 16 April 2021, law enforcement authorities from 17 countries targeted mobile organised crime groups active across Europe as part of the latest edition of operation Trivium. The operation was coordinated by the Netherlands and supported by Europol, and is part of the EMPACT security initiative.
One objective of this year’s operation Trivium was to locate wanted convicts on the run for committing organised property crimes. Investigations during the operation identified the whereabouts of a number of these individuals.
In operation Trivium XIV, 17 countries target mobile criminal groups using the EU’s road infrastructure.
The coordinated actions led to:
• 228 arrests
• 70,000 persons checked
• 67,000 vehicles checked
• seizures including 88 vehicles, illegal substances and large amounts of cash.
During the operation, German authorities checked an individual suspected by Danish authorities to be linked to several robberies of GPS devices from agriculture machines. On checking his vehicle, the German officer discovered 30 GPS units from agricultural machines, approximately 100 kg of gold, silver and ivory jewellery, nearly 50 new high-end smartphones and 20 laptops. The suspect will be extradited to Denmark under a European Arrest Warrant.
A check by the Belgian authorities of a vehicle on a motorway parking led to the discovery and seizure of 380 kg of copper hidden in a nearby wood.
Launched in 2013, operation Trivium, focuses on using a multi-agency approach to tackle organised crime. The operation targets criminal networks using the EU’s road infrastructure to perpetrate different cross-border crimes through police checks. The joint police control actions hit criminal groups trying to stay under the radar of law enforcement authorities by being mobile and changing their modi operandi.
These activities based on a multi-agency approach enhance security on roads and contribute to increased trust and a feeling of safety in local communities.
*Participating countries: EU Member States: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and Cyprus.
• Non-EU country: Albania.
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