Brussels: Artificial intelligence is dramatically empowering organised crime, jeopardising the stability of European societies, Europol cautioned in a report released Tuesday. The agency also highlighted the alarming trend of criminal activities becoming entangled with state-sponsored destabilisation efforts across the EU.
According to Emirates News Agency, Europol's quadrennial organised crime report, drawing on EU-wide police data, delivered a stark warning, intended to guide law enforcement policy in the coming years. "Cybercrime is evolving into a digital arms race targeting governments, businesses, and individuals. AI-driven attacks are becoming more precise and devastating," said Europol's Executive Director Catherine De Bolle.
"Some attacks show a combination of motives of profit and destabilisation, as they are increasingly state-aligned and ideologically motivated," she added. The EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2025 (SOCTA 2025) warns that offenses-from drug trafficking and people smuggling to money laundering, cyberattacks, and online scams-erode society and the rule of law through illicit profits, violence, and normalised corruption.