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A major operation against migrant smuggling in Bulgaria ends with 16 arrests

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An investigation led by Bulgaria, conducted in collaboration with the Hellenic police and with the support of Europol, has resulted in the dismantling of an organised criminal network involved in smuggling migrants from Turkey through Bulgaria and subsequently through Serbia or Romania to countries in Western Europe. The investigation was conducted within the framework of a regional operational task force established to combat smuggling networks that use Bulgaria as a trafficking country.

The police action day resulted in 16 arrests, 6 house and business searches, and the seizure of mobile devices, administrative documents, vehicle registration documents, accounting notebooks, and other records.

The migrant smuggling network operated with a pyramid structure, with members performing different roles. The core group, based in Sofia, was primarily composed of Bulgarian and Syrian nationals who acted in a highly coordinated manner. Their main role was to organise trafficking through Bulgaria while maintaining close cooperation with other criminal networks based in neighbouring countries. For example, payment for smuggling services had already been arranged before departure. Migrants were required to make a deposit through hawala offices in Turkey, from where the migrants departed.

After recruiting migrants in Turkey, the members of the criminal network smuggled them across the southern green border of Bulgaria, guiding them to predefined locations. From there, the drivers transported them to Sofia using a variety of vehicles, including cars and buses. Migrants were temporarily housed in safe houses in Sofia and its surrounding areas before being moved towards the Bulgarian-Serbian or Bulgarian-Romanian borders. In some cases, the migrants were transported directly to the border areas without temporary accommodation.

Europol carried out a wide-ranging operational analysis to identify the various targets and map their criminal activities. Europol deployed an expert in Sofia as part of the regional operational task force and was on the ground during the action day, providing real-time cross-checks with Europol databases to support the national law enforcement authorities.

Since its establishment in September 2023, Europol has been providing dedicated operational and analytical support to the operational task force led by Bulgaria. Europol organised and coordinated numerous operational meetings among stakeholders and facilitated the exchange of operational data.

Migrant smuggling continues to be a very significant criminal threat in the EU, requiring coordinated action across the entire criminal chain, from recruitment and trafficking to the financial flows that support it. Europol supports investigations through a data-driven approach, enhancing cases provided by national authorities with operational analysis and expertise. Europol also facilitates the exchange of information and coordinates joint operations to dismantle criminal networks.

To reinforce Europol’s efforts to combat migrant smuggling, Regulation (EU) 2025/2611 was adopted in December 2025. This new EU legislation underscores the importance of addressing migrant smuggling at the EU level through enhanced cooperation, including the establishment of the European Centre against Migrant Smuggling (ECAMS).

When creating the ECAMS, Europol’s priority is to ensure a better systematic exchange of information and improved coordination of efforts. This includes strengthening expertise in open-source intelligence (OSINT) and financial investigations, as well as improving the operational impact of the network of liaison officers from Frontex, Eurojust, and the Member States.

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The White Paper on Policing: Towards a New Security Model in England and Wales

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The UK government has presented the White Paper «From Local to National: A New Model for Policing«, which establishes the most profound reforms of the police system since its professionalisation two centuries ago. Announced by the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, these measures aim to adapt the police to an increasingly complex, digital, and transnational criminal environment, while strengthening community policing and citizen trust.

One of the pillars of the reform is the structural review of the police map. Currently, England and Wales have 43 local forces, a model that the government considers fragmented and inefficient. The White Paper proposes to drastically reduce this number through mergers, with the aim of improving efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring a more coherent and homogeneous response throughout the territory.

This reorganisation aims to free up resources to strengthen Neighbourhood Policing and the fight against local crime, returning the police to its fundamental principles: visible presence, community knowledge, and rapid response to incidents.

The most ambitious reform is the creation of a new National Police Service, designed to tackle the most serious and complex crimes, such as organised crime, terrorism, digital crime, and threats that transcend local borders.

This new service will integrate, under a single structure, capabilities that have until now been dispersed, such as the National Crime Agency, Counter-Terrorism policing, regional organised crime units, road policing, and police air services. The result will be a national force with improved capacity to share intelligence, technology, and resources.

At the head of the National Police Service, there will be a national commissioner, who will become the highest police authority in the country. One of its key functions will be to take over the centralised management of forensic policing, including digital forensics, to reduce delays —currently with tens of thousands of devices pending analysis— and ensure uniform technical standards.

The new national model will eliminate the duplication of recruitment and technology acquisition processes. Instead of each force purchasing its own equipment, the National Police Service will acquire materials and ICT systems centrally, generating economies of scale.

The Government estimates that these measures will allow for savings of up to 350 million pounds, which will be reinvested directly in frontline policing and in the fight against crime.

The White Paper significantly reinforces accountability mechanisms. Ministers will have new powers to intervene in underperforming forces, including the ability to dismiss police chiefs who do not meet the required standards.

Clear and comparable indicators on response times, crime resolution, victim satisfaction, and public trust will be introduced. These results will be published and will allow citizens to compare the performance of the forces.

At the same time, the individual standards of rural agents will be strengthened by:

  • mandatory and stricter verification controls,
  • exclusion from the profession of individuals with a history of violence against women and girls,
  • mandatory suspension of agents under investigation for these crimes,
  • and the introduction of a renewable professional license, similar to that of other regulated professions.

The reform establishes new national response objectives: arrival at serious incidents within a maximum of 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas, and response to emergency calls in less than 10 seconds.

In addition, the Neighbourhood Police Guarantee is expanded, ensuring that each electoral district has assigned, identifiable, and accessible officers with a deep understanding of local issues. The Government is also promoting a programme to recruit university graduates, inspired by the Teach First model, to attract young talent to community policing roles.

With an investment of over £140 million, the Government is committed to police technology. They highlight the expansion of live facial recognition, the deployment of artificial intelligence tools to analyse images and digital evidence, and the creation of the national centre Police.

These tools will reduce bureaucratic burdens and return millions of hours of work to the front line of policing, increasing the presence of officers on the street.

Finally, the White Paper introduces new national leadership in public order, with the capacity to coordinate resources in situations of serious disorder, and significantly strengthens support for the mental health of the officers. There is also a goal to revitalize the Special Police, particularly by incorporating technical profiles and cybersecurity experts, to more effectively combat modern crime.

Overall, the White Paper outlines a profound structural change: a more centralised police force for major crimes, closer to citizens at the local level, with higher standards, more technology, and stricter governance. An ambitiously designed model to respond to the security challenges of the 21st century.

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Europol report: evolution of tactics in maritime cocaine trafficking operations

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A new Europol report provides a comprehensive analysis of the new tactics employed by criminal networks to traffic cocaine to Europe via maritime routes. The document, ‘Diversification in Maritime Cocaine Trafficking Modi Operandi’, provides an in-depth analysis of the different tactics employed by organised criminal networks, which continue to exploit vulnerabilities and evade detection.

Cocaine trafficking in Europe has reached unprecedented levels, driven by high production in Latin America and increasing demand within the EU. Criminal networks have demonstrated their ability to quickly adjust operations, fragmenting routes and adopting complex and covert trafficking methods. This new Europol report highlights the use of semi-submersibles and other non-commercial vessels, as well as the incorporation of cocaine into various transport materials before shipment to Europe.

Transfers at sea often involve a mother vessel from Latin America transferring cocaine to a daughter vessel off the coast of West Africa. Cocaine is unloaded in West Africa for subsequent shipment to continental EU or sent to the Canary Islands. Using rigid-hulled inflatable boats, criminal networks also transport cocaine directly to mainland Spain. Upon reaching the Andalusian coast, criminal networks use the Guadalquivir River to transport cocaine inland for further distribution.

A prominent example of these new tactics is illustrated by a recent operation codenamed ‘Sombra Negra’ which exposed a significant shift in drug trafficking methods. Led by the Spanish authorities and with the support of Europol, this operation resulted in the arrest of 101 suspects and the seizure of more than 10 tonnes of cocaine on the Iberian Peninsula.

The operation highlighted a shift in drug trafficking methods, as the criminal network relied on advanced maritime infrastructures to transport large quantities of cocaine from South America to Europe via the Iberian Peninsula. The suspects used high-speed vessels capable of exceeding 70 km/h and complex encrypted communication systems to evade law enforcement. The operation represented a decisive blow to one of the largest cocaine trafficking organisations in Europe and underscored a regional shift from cannabis trafficking to cocaine trafficking.

This operation exemplifies the main findings of the report, which include:

• Diversified routes and methods: criminal networks are avoiding major commercial ports by using depots and transfers at sea, semi-submersibles, and non-commercial vessels. These methods allow them to evade the presence and controls of law enforcement, making detection and interception difficult.

• Sophisticated concealment: cocaine is increasingly hidden in industrial equipment, machinery, and transport materials such as food, plastics, and textiles. These methods make detection by scanners, sniffer dogs, and forensic tests extremely difficult.

• Technological advancements: criminal networks are taking advantage of advanced technologies, including encrypted communication systems, autonomous vessels, and drones, to enhance their operations and evade detection.

The report also highlights the need to improve maritime surveillance, financial investigations, and forensic expertise to expose hidden compartments, chemically incorporated drugs, and extraction laboratories. Collaborations between law enforcement, customs, port authorities, and the private sector are essential to secure supply chains and share data in real time.

Europol’s response to the threat of cocaine trafficking includes operational support through its specific Drugs Unit, analytical and coordination support, and the deployment of experts on the ground. The strategic role of the Agency in providing an EU perspective on the various threats posed by drug trafficking criminal networks is crucial for identifying changes in criminal behaviour and trafficking routes.

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24 industrial-scale laboratories dismantled in the largest operation against synthetic drugs in history

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A large-scale police action, carried out as part of operation Fabryka, coordinated by Europol, led to the dismantling of a criminal network operating throughout the European Union. Coordinated efforts were carried out in Poland, as well as in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. These actions targeted a network suspected of importing large quantities of precursors used for the production of synthetic drugs in laboratories across several countries.

In addition, the network was involved in money laundering activities to promote its illicit operations. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement authorities determined that the network may have imported over 1,000 tonnes of precursors, enough to produce more than 300 tonnes of synthetic drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine and cathinone.

It is estimated that illegal activities generate billions in criminal profits for the criminal networks involved. The criminal assets flow into the legal economy, creating significant risks of market distortion, unfair competition, and systematic infiltration of legitimate businesses by organised crime.

The investigation began in 2024 based on intelligence shared by the Polish police, specifically by the Drug Crime Unit of the Wrocław Provincial Police Headquarters. The information provided by the police officers from Lower Silesia was critical to initiating the case and facilitating subsequent international cooperation within the taskforce. Between February 2025 and January 2026, more than 20 action days were carried out targeting connected criminal groups, their production facilities, and storage sites across Europe. The operation culminated in a coordinated action day against the alleged wholesale network responsible for the importation and distribution of chemical precursors.

This network was responsible for the importation, repackaging, and distribution of precursors used in the production of synthetic drugs. Chemicals, originating from China and India, entered the EU through various countries and were transported to Poland for repackaging and subsequent distribution in illegal laboratories across the EU. Since the start of the investigation in 2024, Europol supported action days aimed at different cells of the network, as well as connected groups involved in the production of synthetic drugs in laboratories.

The overall results from all action days (from February 2025 to January 2026) include more than:

• 20 action days: 85 arrests; 100 searches; as well as: 50 delivery points identified; 24 industrial-scale laboratories dismantled; 16 storage locations found; multiple seizures:

  • About €500,000 in cash.
  • 3,559 kilograms and 982 litres of drugs (including 4-CMC, cathinone, MDMA, amphetamine oil).
  • More than 120,000 litres of toxic chemical waste.
  • 1,000 tons of precursors (chemicals used for the production of synthetic drugs).

The operational structure of this criminal network was complex, with seven legitimate companies in Poland facilitating import and distribution activities, and a high-level leadership coordination connecting the various criminal groups from EU countries.

In some cases, the criminal cells operating within the broader network managed both the logistics for the supply of precursors and the coordination of production in clandestine laboratories. The main criminal network targeted by this investigation is predominantly composed of Polish nationals, with the involvement of some Belgian and Dutch citizens operating within interconnected groups.

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Chile: fear, crime, and politics in a security paradox

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Chile faces a paradoxical situation in terms of public security: despite having relatively low crime rates compared to other Latin American countries, the perception of insecurity among the population is one of the highest in the world. This contradiction became the central focus of political debate and the presidential electoral campaign, to the point that security is today the main concern among citizens.

Kast’s victory in the recent elections reflects many voters’ response to issues such as public security, illegal immigration and perceptions of insecurity or disagreements with the current economic or social model, which were central themes of the campaign.

According to an Ipsos poll, 63% of Chilean adults identify crime and violence as the issue that concerns them the most, a higher percentage than in countries such as Mexico or Colombia, which have much higher homicide rates. Globally, Chile ranks among the countries most concerned about insecurity and also among those where fewer people feel safe walking around their neighbourhood at night, according to reports by Ipsos and Gallup.

Daniel Johnson, Executive Director of the Paz Ciudadana Foundation, points out that with 6 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, the country is far from leading the statistics on violence in the region or the world.

Historically, Chile already had higher levels of fear of crime than the objective data indicated. However, this phenomenon has intensified in recent years, requiring further explanation. Studies by the Paz Ciudadana Foundation show that women and lower socioeconomic sectors express the highest levels of fear, especially in areas where the state’s presence is perceived as weak.

Although thefts and attempted thefts affect approximately one third of households—a figure similar to that of previous years—, what has really changed is the nature of the crime. Violent crime has increased significantly: the homicide rate has nearly doubled in a decade, violent robberies have grown by 25% in eight years, and previously rare crimes such as extortion and kidnappings, have started to gain prominence.

This change in the types of crime has a strong psychological impact on the population. Johnson points out that uncertainty about how to protect oneself against these new crimes significantly increases the feeling of vulnerability.

Another key factor is the expansion of organised crime, with the emergence of new organisations that operate differently from traditional ones. There has been an increase in the use of firearms, a rise in planned homicides, and the presence of transnational groups, some of which are linked to foreign nationals, such as the well-known case of Tren de Aragua.

Although immigration did not show a direct correlation with the increase in crime until 2020, authorities and research centres now observe a clear relationship between certain types of crime and foreign organisations, which often exploit both migrants and the local population. This has reinforced the perception that immigration and insecurity are linked, fuelling public and political debate.

Fear of crime is closely linked to mistrust in security and justice institutions. When citizens perceive that the state is not protecting them adequately, the reporting of crime declines, weakening the system’s response capacity and further eroding its legitimacy. However, Chilean police forces have managed to regain some of the trust lost after the social unrest.

Gabriel Boric’s government responded with significant institutional reforms, such as the creation of a Ministry of Security and mechanisms for inter-ministerial coordination. These measures are designed for the medium and long term, but they contrast with citizens’ demands for immediate responses, such as more patrols, lighting and cameras, although these actions have limited impact if they are not accompanied by structural changes.

In this context, security became a central theme of the electoral campaign. All candidates incorporated the discourse of insecurity, validating and amplifying existing fears. Historically, right-wing parties have prioritised control and repression, while the left has focused more on social policies. Today, however, a logic of urgency prevails, favouring short-term measures over preventive and reintegration policies, which are essential for a lasting solution.

Moreover, violent events in the region, such as large-scale police operations in Brazil and US military actions against drug trafficking, reinforce fears that Chile may follow the same path.

Chile is not one of the most violent countries in the world, but it is one of the most fearful. This gap between reality and perception, fuelled by changes in crime, the presence of organised crime, institutional mistrust and political exploitation, poses a major challenge: how to respond to the emergency without giving up on structural, long-term solutions? The future of security in the country will depend on the ability to combine effective control, institutional reforms and social policies that tackle the root causes of violence.

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International pressure on the major cocaine supply routes into Europe

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European and South American law enforcement authorities continue to intensify their efforts to dismantle the main criminal networks responsible for cocaine trafficking to Europe. Three recent operations, coordinated with the support of Europol, highlight both the complexity of the routes used by organised crime and the growing importance of international cooperation to address it. These actions have affected networks with connections to Colombia, Brazil, and Greece, and have allowed interventions at all stages of the criminal chain: from the origin of the drugs to their reception on the European continent.

The first investigation focused on a network led by a Dutch citizen who had direct contact with high-level traffickers in Colombia. The individual, 56 years old, resided in Ibiza but frequently travelled to The Netherlands and other European countries. According to the authorities, he coordinated the entry of large shipments of cocaine into Europe with the active support of his two sons.

The case came to light as a result of information obtained from the encrypted platform Sky ECC, a tool widely used by criminal organisations and which has been key in numerous European investigations. Based on this data, the Dutch police deployed surveillance operations, intelligence analysis, and wire-taps that allowed for the identification of ongoing attempts to coordinate new shipments.

The network was linked to six cocaine shipments intercepted in the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. On 2 December 2025, the main suspect was arrested in Ibiza, while his children, aged 31 and 23, were arrested in The Hague and Haarlem.

Major Brazilian operation against large-scale maritime trafficking

The second operation targeted a Brazilian criminal organisation specialised in large-scale maritime cocaine transport in Europe. The group was responsible for acquiring vessels, training crews, and modifying fishing boats to hide the drugs.

The routes used included departure points on the Brazilian coast and an intermediate stage in West Africa, before the final transfer to European waters.

A key moment in the investigation took place in November 2024, when Portuguese authorities, in collaboration with the Brazilian federal police and authorities from Cape Verde, intercepted a Brazilian-flagged fishing vessel off the west coast of Cape Verde. 1.6 tonnes of cocaine were found on board and six crew members were arrested.

Subsequently, in September 2025, law enforcement dismantled the European branch of the network, with 37 arrests in Spain, including the person responsible for the logistics infrastructure. Finally, on 11 December 2025, a coordinated operation in Brazil culminated in eight new arrests, including two high-value targets, and the seizure of assets worth over 1.5 million euros.

Greek criminal network and at-sea transfers

The third operation targeted a Greek criminal network that used the at-sea transfer method for cocaine trafficking. The group deployed a fishing vessel that left Greece, travelled a route passing through West Africa, and crossed the Atlantic to pick up a shipment from Latin America.

On 14 December 2025, authorities arrested ten suspects: five crew members at sea and five individuals in Greece, including one high-value target.

The key role of Europol and international cooperation

In both cases, Europol acted as the central hub of international cooperation, facilitating the exchange of information, providing analytical support, and coordinating operational meetings among the involved countries. Other key agencies such as Frontex and MAOC-(N) also participated, especially in maritime operations.

These actions are part of the broader European Union strategy against organised crime, coordinated through the EMPACT platform. The cases demonstrate that only through sustained, multilevel, and transnational cooperation is it possible to effectively tackle the structures that support cocaine trafficking to Europe.

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The contribution of NIST to fire safety: technology, tactics, and resilience

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Fire safety has undergone a profound transformation in recent decades, largely driven by scientific research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)in the United States. In light of the evolution of buildings, combustible materials, and the operational conditions of firefighters, the NIST has provided the necessary technical foundation to update equipment, standards, and intervention strategies, with a direct impact on the protection of human lives.

One of the key areas has been the evaluation of the performance of equipment used in extreme conditions. In the case of thermal cameras, NIST developed the first tests capable of measuring whether these devices continued to detect small temperature differences when the camera itself was exposed to temperatures of up to 260 °C. This research allowed for the establishment of objective quality criteria, ensuring that firefighters have reliable tools in hostile environments.

With regard to portable radios, firefighters had detected communication failures during fires. NIST identified that the source of the problem was the deviation of the transmission frequency at high temperatures.

Another critical element is the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The incidents of visors becoming opaque or melting led NIST to study the effect of intense radiant heat flow. Based on real-scale experiments and simulations, new tests and performance criteria were defined, improving the protection and visibility of firefighters during firefighting.

Despite the reduction in the number of structural fires since the end of the 20th century, firefighter mortality due to fire has increased. NIST demonstrated that this phenomenon was related to changes in architecture (larger and more airtight homes), the use of lightweight materials, and the increase in the fire load of modern furniture.

The research introduced the concept of fire dynamics, highlighting the importance of the rate of fire growth and the role of oxygen. A fire limited by oxygen can suddenly intensify when a door or window is opened, creating a flow path through which heat and smoke circulate. The message for the firefighters is clear: control the air inlets and avoid positioning themselves in those flow paths.

A particularly relevant example is that of fires in basements. NIST demonstrated that fire can grow violently under a floor that, on the surface, still seems safe. The evidence showed that applying water from the outside for just 60 seconds could drastically reduce the risk, changing historical tactics of interior attack.

Smoke detectors have significantly reduced fatalities since the 1970s, but changes in housing design and combustible materials have limited their effectiveness. NIST demonstrated that modern fires offer much less time to escape and that alarms are often disabled due to false kitchen alarms.

Based on trials with real furniture and kitchen scenarios, NIST provided the key data to develop a new generation of tests. Starting in 2024, all new detectors must meet a series of requirements, with the aim of increasing evacuation time and saving lives.

The expansion of housing in forested areas has drastically increased the risks of urban-forest interface fires. NIST has studied how fire spreads through radiation, convection, and, above all, through embers, capable of igniting buildings at great distances.

To analyse this phenomenon, NIST created the Firebrand Generator (NIST Dragon) and the Emberometer, tools that have become international references and the basis of the ISO 6021 standard. This knowledge has allowed for the definition of design criteria for façades, ventilation, and environments close to buildings.

At the community level, NIST has promoted methodologies such as the Hazard Mitigation Methodology (HMM) and the ESCAPE method (2023), which address both building resilience and urban planning and evacuation, already adopted by various communities.

Finally, the National Fire Research Laboratory (NFRL) allows for the testing of complete structures subjected to real fire and mechanical loads. This approach surpasses traditional testing and helps to understand how and when structural failure occurs, facilitating safer, more resilient, and efficient designs.

Overall, the work of NIST exemplifies how applied science can translate into standards, equipment, and strategies that enhance firefighter safety, reduce civilian casualties, and make communities more resilient to fire.

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Technology can prevent large forest fires, but in a coordinated manner

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Every time a large forest fire breaks out, the same question is asked: How is it possible that we have not been able to avoid it? Images of skies tinged with red, mass evacuations, and entire neighbourhoods reduced to ashes have become normalised in the news. In California, Australia, Canada, or the Mediterranean, fire is no longer perceived as an exceptional phenomenon, but rather as a new constant. But to accept it as fate is a mistake. The tools to drastically reduce the impact of large fires exist. What is lacking is coordination.

Forest fires are not just a natural problem. They are the result of a complex combination of factors: climate change, land management, disorderly urban growth, vulnerable infrastructures, and fragmented response systems. Millions of people today live in the urban-forest interface, areas where homes coexist with highly flammable vegetation. When the fire arrives, the human, economic, and environmental costs are enormous, even for those who do not directly lose their home.

Paradoxically, we have never had so much technology to face this challenge. Satellites capable of detecting ignitions within minutes, ground sensors that monitor risk conditions, artificial intelligence models that project the evolution of fire in real time, drones that map hazardous vegetation, and smart electrical grids that can disconnect before a spark causes a catastrophe. All of this already exists.

These technologies cannot—nor should they—eliminate fire completely. Fire is part of many ecosystems and is essential for their regeneration. But they can prevent a localised fire from turning into a large-scale disaster. They can reduce evacuations, save homes, protect critical infrastructures, and, above all, save lives.

The main problem is not technical, but institutional. The fire prevention and response system is deeply fragmented. Local, regional, and state governments, fire brigades with different competencies, forest management agencies, electric companies, insurers, research centres, technology companies, and local communities are involved. Each party has its own budgets, regulations, data systems, and purchasing processes. The result is an ecosystem in which innovating is difficult, and scaling solutions is even more complicated.

Many promising technological initiatives remain in pilot tests. Public agencies often cannot take the risk of purchasing new technology that is not yet fully validated. Innovative companies do not know which door to call. Foundations fund experiments, but not their large-scale implementation. And the communities with fewer resources are the ones that suffer the most from this lack of coordination, becoming even more exposed.

Other areas of public policy demonstrate that this can be done better. In national security, energy, or aviation, the United States has created agencies that act as a bridge between the public sector, research, and the market. These organisations do not invent technology, but rather identify promising solutions, help to test them, establish common standards, and facilitate their rapid delivery to end users.

What is lacking in the field of forest fires is a similar structure: a coordinating entity with a clear mandate to connect innovators, administrations, emergency services, utility companies, and communities. A neutral party that can detect emerging technologies, promote interoperability, help overcome bureaucratic obstacles, and direct investments towards prevention and mitigation, not just towards extinction when the fire is already out of control.

This does not mean replacing essential policies such as forest management, controlled burns, building codes, or urban planning. On the contrary, technology can make all these measures more efficient and fairer. It can provide better data to firefighters, more accurate alerts to the population, and a faster recovery after the disaster.

Some governments have already started to move in that direction. There are states that have created specific offices for fire innovation or centres of excellence for new aerial combat techniques. But without a coordinated vision at the national or supranational level, progress remains uneven and insufficient in the face of the magnitude of the challenge.

Large fires are not inevitable. They are, to a large extent, a reflection of collective decisions and systems that have not evolved at the pace of risk. If we have been able to transform air safety, hurricane prediction, or earthquake preparedness through investment and coordination, we can also do the same with forest fires. The technology is already there. Now political will and the capacity to organise it are needed.

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The abusive use of intimate relationships as a police infiltration tactic in the United Kingdom

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A former undercover officer of the Metropolitan Police of London, Mark Jenner, internally identified as agent HN15, has begun to testify before the UK Undercover Policing Inquiry, a public process that examines decades of covert operations against social, political, and trade union movements. Jenner operated during the nineties under the false identity of Mark Cassidy, infiltrating a left-wing activist group in East London, primarily linked to the Colin Roach Centre, a community and anti-racist organization, according to reports from BBC.comhand in hand with the researcher Ayshea Buksh.

One of the most serious aspects of the case is that Jenner maintained an intimate and cohabiting relationship for five yearswith an activist known as » Alison » (a fictitious name), while simultaneously being married and having children. The relationship included cohabitation, holidays in the United Kingdom and abroad, attendance at weddings, religious celebrations, and family gatherings. Alison considered Jenner her stable partner and was completely unaware that he was undercover police.

As stated in the investigation, this relationship was not clearly or honestly reflected in the official reports that Jenner submitted to his superiors at Scotland Yard. While with Alison, several trips were recorded administratively, such as operational meetings or follow-ups on political activities, when in reality they were personal holidays, including trips to Israel, Thailand, and Amsterdam. The personal photographs and videos presented in the investigation have confirmed this double life.

Alison recently testified before the investigation, just like Jenner’s ex-wife, who appeared anonymously. Both women have explained how they were simultaneously deceived for years, and they have pointed out that the police system allowed—through action or omission—this sustained deception. According to Alison, there are so many layers of lies that it is hard to believe that the direct commanders were not aware of it, or that they acted with serious incompetence.

During his initial statement, Jenner claimed that, in the context of infiltration, he considered it «necessary» to engage in sexual relations with women to preserve his cover, although he denied that sexual gratification was a benefit of the job. This statement has been met with strong indignation from the victims and their representatives, as it reinforces the perception that intimate relationships were used as an operational tool, despite the profound emotional impact on the affected individuals.

Alison has described the psychological consequences of discovering the truth as devastating, stating that she was very angry, deeply distressed, and physiologically altered. Over time, she has reinterpreted multiple episodes of the relationship as signs of deception: inexplicable absences, contradictions about his family, and even the discovery of a bank card belonging to M. Jenner, which he justified with a false story.

The case of Jenner is not an isolated incident. The investigation has revealed that at least 50 women may have been similarly deceived by undercover agents over several decades. This pattern has been described by victims as a form ofinstitutional abuse, with clear components of sexism, emotional manipulation, and violation of fundamental rights. Alison, along with other affected women, has promoted the platform Police Spies Out of Our Lives, aimed at raising awareness of the cases and demanding political and legal accountability.

From an institutional standpoint, the Metropolitan Police has publicly acknowledged the serious misconduct and completely unacceptable behaviour of some undercover officers and their superiors. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jon Savell has issued an unreserved apology to the affected women, admitting that these relationships were abusive, misleading, andwrong, and that they have eroded public trust in a policing tactic that, in other contexts, is considered legitimate for ensuring safety.

The police maintain that undercover work has been profoundly reformed in recent decades, with much stricter legal, ethical, and oversight frameworks. However, victims demand that these reforms be accompanied by real accountability, including the withdrawal of honours and recognitions from officers involved in abuse cases, as well as legislative changes that explicitly prohibit intimate relationships in undercover operations.

The investigation remains open, and Mark Jenner will testify for several more days. The affected women demand complete truth, clear responsibilities, and the recognition that the damage suffered was not due to individual abuse, but rather the result of a system that allowed and normalised deeply abusive practices under the guise of state security.

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Europol coordinates an operation to dismantle the Balkan cartel in Germany

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Europol supported and coordinated with the law enforcement authorities of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, and Serbia in carrying out a large-scale operation targeting a prominent cell of the so-called Balkan cartel. During the action day carried out in December 2025 in Germany, three suspects were arrested and more than 5 million euros in criminal assets were seized.

The coordinated operation targeted several high-value targets (HVT) residing in Germany, who are believed to be key figures within the Balkan cartel. The investigation revealed that this criminal cell was responsible for shipments of several tonnes of cocaine originating from Colombia and used various methods to smuggle drugs into Europe. The network was also involved in money laundering through companies and real estate in several countries within the European Union and beyond.

The police action, in which 500 law enforcement agents participated in the arrests and searched 45 locations, marks the culmination of a complex investigation into large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and arms trafficking. During the searches, approximately 50,000 euros in cash, two gold coins, numerous luxury items such as jewellery, watches, handbags, three high-value vehicles, as well as properties both in Germany and abroad were seized. In addition, several documents and electronic equipment were found and confiscated, as well as a firearm loaded with ammunition.

The three suspects arrested during the action day played various roles within the criminal network, such as financiers, coordinators, and logistics experts. The main suspect, who originates from the Balkan Peninsula and resides in Germany, is known for using a distinctive cocaine logo as a trademark.

In previous operations, Europol and its partner countries have already inflicted significant blows to the Balkan cartel. This includes numerous arrests made in recent years (for example, 13 arrests in May 2023 and 21 arrests in October 2023 during the action days). Europol played a crucial role in facilitating constant coordination, the exchange of information, and the provision of continuous analytical support to the investigation. The information developed during the operation revealed a sophisticated and well-organised network operating across continents and countries.

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