Sweden has implemented a new law introducing tougher penalties for gang-related offenses, allowing courts to impose prison sentences up to double the previous maximum, effective Saturday, as the country addresses rising organized crime.
A 19-year-old Norwegian, Johannes Natland, was convicted at London's Old Bailey for conspiracy to murder, having been recruited by a Swedish crime group allegedly used by the Iranian government.
Indigenous leaders on the Brazil-Peru border report their communities are "taken hostage" by organised crime groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal logging, and mining. The Asháninka people, facing severe threats, appealed to the Brazilian government for permanent security presence and protection, warning of disastrous self-defense if the state fails to act.
Organised crime is increasingly involved in match-fixing across various sports, including chess, to launder money from drug and human trafficking. Authorities are struggling to keep pace with new technologies and prediction markets, leading to a rise in younger offenders and outdated solutions.
Prince Harry and other claimants lost a £50m High Court case against Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail. The judge found no proof of unlawful information gathering, dismissing lurid accusations and focusing on the failure of key witness testimony.
Victoria's massive 'Big Build' infrastructure projects are reportedly rife with organised crime, intimidation, extortion, fraud, and bribery. The Victorian premier attributes cost escalations to inflation, not corruption, while critics demand a royal commission due to the limited powers of the state's anti-corruption body, Ibac, and the systemic nature of the alleged misconduct.
Australian police seized the nation's largest ever cocaine haul, valued at A$816 million (US$571 million), hidden in underground bunkers in Londonderry, a suburb of Sydney. Investigations into the origin and criminal syndicates involved are ongoing.
Bolivia and the US have signed a new co-operation deal to combat drug trafficking, with the US providing up to $20m for training and equipment for Bolivian forces. This marks a thawing of relations after years of tension.
Bolivia and the US sign a cooperation agreement to combat drug trafficking, marking improved relations after 18 years. The US will provide up to $20m to train and equip Bolivian forces.
Hong Kong police arrested 150 people in a three-day crackdown on an illegal bookmaking syndicate that handled over HK$320 million in wagers. The operation targeted multiple locations and websites, with police warning against illegal betting during the Fifa World Cup.
An investigation across Britain exposes widespread organised crime on High Streets, including money laundering through 'dodgy shops', illegal tobacco sales, and drug trafficking, reflecting broader societal and economic troubles.
The US designation of two Brazilian gangs, PCC and CV, as terrorist organizations is seen by analysts and politicians as a politically motivated move to support Flavio Bolsonaro, a presidential hopeful and ally of Donald Trump, ahead of Brazil's October elections.
US designation of Brazilian gangs PCC and CV as terrorist organizations is seen by analysts and politicians as a political move to aid Flavio Bolsonaro's election campaign against Lula da Silva. Experts note the gangs do not operate in the US and cocaine routes do not pass through Brazil.
Gunmen killed at least 25 people, including six police officers, in separate attacks across Honduras on Thursday. The violence, which included a raid on a palm plantation and an ambush of police officers, highlights the country's struggle with organized crime.
Mako Nishimura, a former juvenile inmate, became one of Japan's few female yakuza members in the 1980s. She details her violent rise, drug involvement, and eventual redemption through writing and charity work.
In Mexico, women searching for missing relatives are becoming targets of murder and disappearance, with hundreds of collectives facing escalating violence. This trend, particularly acute in Sinaloa, underscores the failure of governments to address the ongoing crisis of over 130,000 missing persons.
Police are investigating a shooting in Sydney's south-west that killed a 28-year-old man and injured four others. Detectives believe the incident in Canley Heights was targeted and may be linked to organised crime, though the motive is unclear.
World relay gold medallist bailed until 28 May court hearingPolice alleged suspects part of an organised crime groupThe British sprinter CJ Ujah, who won 4x100m relay gold at the 2017 world championships, is one of 10 suspects charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of a police investigation into cryptocurrency fraud.It is alleged that the suspects were part of an organised crime group linked to a scam involving phone calls to multiple victims, from people purporting to be police officers and cryptocurrency companies. Continue reading...
Two Lanarkshire businessmen who publicly projected success through sponsorships and luxury branding were unmasked as organisers of an £11 million cocaine trafficking network after EncroChat messages exposed their operation. Despite maintaining a respectable corporate image, greed and excess drove their criminal enterprise. Their prison sentences reinforce a warning: organised crime eventually collapses under scrutiny, regardless of wealth, image or influence.
The Philippines has approved new Inter-Agency Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on April 22 to improve coordination among law enforcement agencies in combating organised crime. The SOPs address gaps exposed during earlier raids, including difficulties in coordinating evidence, freezing assets, identifying trafficking victims and building cases against operators who left few physical traces. Analysts and former officials warn the bigger test will be whether the new playbook can keep pace with criminal networks already moving from large Pogo compounds into more elusive operations.
The US is offering a $4 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Daren Li, a 43-year-old Chinese national with dual citizenship in China and St Kitts and Nevis. Li was convicted in absentia in February 2026 to 20 years in prison for money laundering related to cryptocurrency scams. He fled the US in December 2025 after removing his electronic monitoring device.
