Last November 2025 marked a turning point in the fight against the illegal trafficking of works of art and cultural goods in Europe. During an action day coordinated by the Bulgarian authorities, with the support of Europol and the participation of agents from up to six countries, an extensive criminal network dedicated to the looting and illicit trade of Greco-Roman and Thracian antiquities was dismantled.

This operation is the result of years of research and international cooperation and puts the spotlight on a phenomenon that has a major impact on European and world cultural heritage.

It all started in 2020, when a house raid in Bulgaria culminated in the seizure of 7,000 priceless cultural assets. The lack of reliable documentation and the large number of objects set off all the alarms: it was, in all probability, one of the largest sets of looted antiquities discovered in the country.

Among these objects were:

• masks and antique jewellery,
• military equipment,
• ceremonial vases and cups,
• unique pieces dating back to 2000 BC.

Since then, the collection has been kept in custody at the Bulgarian National History Museum, while a far-reaching investigation progressed that has ultimately revealed a highly organised cross-border criminal network.

The action day was as impressive as it was meaningful:

• 35 arrests in Bulgaria.
• 131 searches in several countries (Bulgaria, Albania, France, Germany and Greece).
• More than 3,000 goods seized, including gold and silver coins.
• Total estimated value: more than 100 million euros.
• In addition, works of art, weapons, documents, electronic equipment, gold and more than 50,000 euros in cash were seized.

The main High Value Target (HVT) of the investigation is suspected of financing illegal excavations in Bulgaria and other Balkan countries. The mechanism was clear: groups of local looters excavated archaeological sites to order, and intermediaries laundered the pieces through the international art market.

The case highlights a reality well known to investigators: the art market is a fertile ground for criminal activities. The demand for unique objects and the difficulty of verifying their provenance facilitate the entry of illegally looted artefacts.

The Balkans and Italy, rich in Greco-Roman archaeological heritage, have been the target of antiquities trafficking networks for decades. And this problem is not local: pieces from conflict zones such as Syria or Iraq are often mixed in.

Since 2024, a Europol task force has been instrumental in connecting dots, linking suspects and identifying devices scattered across several countries. This model of cooperation – combining analytics, information sharing and joint actions – is more necessary today than ever.

The dismantling of the network is an important victory but also a reminder: the protection of cultural heritage requires constant vigilance and coordinated global efforts.

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In early November 2025, Europol welcomed 191 experts from 51 countries to its headquarters in the Hague for the latest edition of the Annual Drug Conference. The discussions focused on emerging trends in the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs, the challenges posed by cocaine trafficking, and strategies to strengthen international cooperation in the fight against these threats. Participants also explored innovative methods to dismantle the criminal networks involved in drug trafficking.

The trade in illicit drugs continues to be a significant threat to the internal security of the EU. In particular, synthetic drugs are very dynamic, with changing routes and a variety of criminal actors. They are produced on a large scale in the EU, both for local markets and for export abroad.

Given the seriousness of the matter, Europol has made the fight against synthetic drug trafficking a top priority. In this context, the agency has provided support to two major operations in recent weeks targeting the entire supply chain:

1.- Criminal network dismantled in Central and Eastern Europe

On 11 November 2025, law enforcement agencies dismantled an international criminal network supplying key precursors used to produce methamphetamine and operating across Europe. Authorities in Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, with the support of Europol, participated in the investigation. Eurojust set up and funded the joint investigation team between the Czech, Romanian and Moldovan authorities, which enabled them to track the flow of illicit substances and communications and gather evidence for the prosecution of the criminal group.

The action day involved:

• 16 arrests (1 in Bulgaria, 11 in Czechia, 2 in Hungary and 2 in Moldova).
• 18 searches (3 in Czechia, 2 in Hungary, 1 in Romania and 12 in Moldova).
• 3 clandestine drug laboratories dismantled in Hungary and Moldova.
• Seizure of synthetic drugs and chemical materials for producing methamphetamine, including more than 5 kg of methamphetamine, 40 kg of pills containing ephedrine, 50 litres of toluene, 0.5 kg of phosphorus, 280 kg of caustic soda, and 70 kg of chemical production waste.
• Seizure of two vehicles used to transport drugs.
• Seizure of electronic devices and cash.

The suspects were involved in all stages of the drug production chain: they imported chemicals, produced synthetic drugs, and smuggled them in the luggage of aeroplanes and in hidden compartments of vehicles to avoid detection by authorities.

2.- In addition, in an unprecedented operation in the EU, the authorities seized more than 40 tonnes of precursors intended for the production of MDMA, amphetamine and methamphetamine in Hungary and Germany. The investigation lasted two years, and the most recent action took place on 4 and 5 November 2025, resulting in:

• 4 arrests
• 8 property searches
• Synthetic drugs seized
• Seized precursors and chemicals
• Vehicles, jewellery and electronic devices seized
• €67,000 in cash seized

The investigation revealed that the precursors were shipped from China to the ports of Hamburg and Rotterdam. There, they were collected by members of the criminal network and sent to Hungary for further distribution. The perpetrators operated in many European countries and had the capacity to supply large quantities of chemicals, enabling large-scale drug production.

The criminal network targeted by this operation was linked to several shipments of precursor chemicals seized between 2023 and 2025. During this period, the authorities intercepted almost 32 tonnes of precursors in Hungary and more than 10 tonnes in Germany.

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In recent weeks, law enforcement, border guards, and labour and tax authorities across Europe have joined forces to identify and combat labour exploitation. This recent edition of the EMPACT Joint Action Days focused on human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, with special emphasis on the agricultural sector, gastronomy, and temporary employment agencies.

In particular, the authorities involved also took measures against the exploitation of third-country nationals and refugees. Led by France and the Netherlands, and carried out by authorities from 32 countries with the support of Europol and the European Labour Authority (ELA), the action days resulted in the arrest of 54 individuals and the identification of 404 potential victims of human trafficking.

Generally, the results of the action include:

• 22,296 officers from law enforcement and labour and tax authorities who participated in the action.

• 194,995 entities checked (including 73,218 individuals, 11,815 locations, 26,412 vehicles, and 83,958 documents).

• 93 individuals suspected of human trafficking identified (of which 92 for labour exploitation).

• 54 people arrested for various crimes (of which 44 for labour exploitation).

• 404 potential victims of human trafficking identified (of which 393 potential victims of labour exploitation).

• 341 new investigations in various crimes initiated (of which 43 are for labour exploitation).

The aim of this recurrent action is for the authorities to focus on the most relevant or widespread forms of labour exploitation in their respective countries. Inspections were carried out across a wide range of sectors, such as catering, gastronomy, food delivery, food and meat processing, beauty services, domestic healthcare, logistics and distribution, agriculture, construction, and mining.

Some countries have confirmed various modus operandi in human trafficking for agricultural and labour exploitation. These include discrepancies between employee payments and working hours, violations of minimum wage laws, undeclared work, illegal schemes operated by temporary employment agencies, breaches of maximum working hours, poor housing conditions provided by employers, the employment of minors, debt bondage, and work without permits. In addition, third-country nationals may use similar documents, counterfeit passports, and counterfeit residence permits. In general, cases of labour exploitation and forced labour are significantly underreported and do not reflect the true magnitude of the problem.

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The deterioration of police-population relations can be explained, in part, by the predominance of a short-term martial and political logic. This model is detrimental to citizens, victims of brutal practices, and to police officers, exposed to ill-defined and risky missions.

This idea is drawn from research conducted by Marie Lajus, senior official, former prefect and police commissioner; Jacques de Maillard, university professor; and Marc-Olivier Padis, Director of Studies at Terra Nova.

A recent inspection report notes a deterioration in the bond of trust between the internal security forces and the population. The gap between the population’s expectations and understanding of service priorities is obvious. This deterioration is not only worrisome because of user dissatisfaction. It also leads to less effective security policy action. The feeling of distance between the police and society hinders police work.

Opportunities for contact between the police and the population take place all too often during control interactions, in a coercive logic and sometimes in an offensive way, which creates a climate of distrust unfavourable to police work.

It also places agents in conflicting situations where their responsibility may be questioned. A police malaise is evident during a number of missions for which they are not prepared, or which are only aimed at the apparent deployment of force and repressive action. This discomfort is partly linked to the conditions and the general posture of intervention, in a context of permanent operational tension.

Police action during the health crisis was guided by official instructions in an essentially repressive direction. The police and gendarmerie forces were mobilised massively to verify the application of the confinement and its different measures (certificates, closing of squares, use of masks, etc.). In total, some 100,000 officers, i.e. almost all the personnel dedicated to public roads, were mobilised daily for this action.

The dominance of a primarily coercive mode of intervention, based on obsolete conceptions of crowd management and deterrence through the display of force, leads to situations of collective failure for which officers pay the price (injuries, degraded image, risk of criminal harassment).

But the benefits in terms of communication remain strong enough for political leaders to persist in the cul-de-sac. The yellow vests movements present a special case since it was not a matter of the police confronting organised demonstrations, with a declared route, identified organisers, responsible interlocutors, a controlled ritual. By default, in the eyes of the Ministry of the Interior, these were not demonstrations but rallies, i.e., a qualification that authorised the legal use of force in a much broader way.

In neighbouring countries, a completely different approach has been observed. For example, in the Netherlands, police action was carried out in a spirit of prevention, dialogue and accountability. The slogan chosen was not that of the “war against the virus” launched by the President of the Republic in France and then relayed from the Prime Minister to all hierarchical levels. The collective Dutch slogan was: “together, control the epidemic“.

The Dutch case shows that another strategy for managing containment was possible by emphasising contact with the population, prevention messages and support. The British police implemented practices according to a 4 E (Engage, Explain, Encourage, Enforce) approach, of which the coercion dimension was thus only one of the four dimensions, and whose evaluations have shown that it has helped to maintain or even develop public goodwill. In contrast, the numbers policy, which has already shown its limits, does not value any of the professional skills of the police. It only works on fear of the uniform or punishment, to the detriment of building a lasting bond between the police and society. This must involve strengthening the initial and continuing training of officers in charge of internal security, which is currently too limited in duration and insufficiently adapted in terms of content and preparation for the profession.

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