German Criminal Police Report: The shift of organized crime towards digital violence and international networks

The head of the German Criminal Police Office, Holger Münch, announced a profound change in the country's world of organized crime: “Organized crime is changing its face: today's criminal networks operate in a more interconnected way both internationally and digitally, and are more towards a division of labour.” He added, "Gangs even exploit geopolitical conflicts."

Regarding the division of labor, Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, commented that these criminal gangs operate according to the principle: “One person plans, another pays, and the third strikes.”

Growing brutality

The officials spoke in their presentation of the annual report of the Federal Criminal Police Office on organized crime. The report stated that last year witnessed 20 completed murders, in addition to 100 completed cases of physical assault.

In comparison, in 2024, 13 completed murders and 77 cases of physical assault were recorded within the framework of organized crime. The report, which monitors the situation through 2025, stated: “Organized crime groups are showing an increasing willingness to use and practice violence, especially to impose their interests and demands for influence, as well as in conflict situations.”

The report cited an example of the growing brutality of many perpetrators, represented by a series of explosions and shootings in the greater Cologne area in the summer of 2024, which were caused by the theft of a drug shipment.

"Generation Z mafia"

The Federal Criminal Police Office notes that “while isolationism has long been a hallmark of organized crime, younger criminal elements in particular, the so-called ‘Generation Z mafia,’ are increasingly displaying their power and violent practices on social media.”

Recently, there has been an increase in cases in which minors who have been specifically recruited to carry them out are requested to carry out violent acts as a service or are commissioned. The office explained that the phenomenon of recruiting executors through social media is “evolving very rapidly,” and therefore it is necessary to continue communication with Internet service providers. Among the people who were hired to carry out these tasks were children, some as young as 13 years old.

What are the most prominent areas of organized crime activity in Germany?

The number of investigative actions related to organized crime groups also increased in 2025. The total number reached 683 files, the highest level since 2021. The number of suspects increased by more than 13%. Among the 7,988 suspects investigated last year, there were 2,722 German citizens, 664 Turkish citizens, 402 Syrians, 281 Albanians, and 258 Polish citizens.

Drug crimes remained by far the largest portion of organized crime investigation files over the past year, followed by crimes related to economic activity, tax and customs crimes, migrant smuggling crimes, and money laundering.