TECHNOLOGY IS ENABLING TODAY’S SERIOUS AND ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS Over the last two decades, serious crime has encountered the same massive geographic, economic, and technological shifts as the rest of the world. These include the adoption of widespread and massively networked technologies along with the use of advanced and covert communication methods. A few alarming statistics emerge from the most recent 2021 Europol SOCTA report.” 14 The report demonstrates the true scope of criminal activity happening throughout Europe, covering 5,000 international groups and over 180 nationalities. According to their report, 7 out of 10 organized crime groups are active in more than three countries. It goes on to warn that “Criminals will continue to rely on the use of new technologies and further expand their technical capabilities.” 15 Facilitating all these transnational activities are the same global technologies the world is using for entertainment, business productivity, and financial transactions. “The 2020 State of Crypto Crime Report” is similarly shocking, 16 revealing that darknet markets for cryptocurrencies reached a value of $790 million. Far from funding only cybercrime, cryptocurrencies are being used to fund darknet transactions related to drugs and other illicit goods, stolen data such as credit card information, and, perhaps most alarmingly, child abuse. At the same time, sophisticated money laundering services are enabling the exchange of crypto for fiat (standard) currency while disguising the true nature of criminal organizations’ assets. The report also mentions that although the trend is still in its early stages, terrorist groups have been increasingly embracing a range of technologies, including cryptocurrency, in order to advance their agenda. Today’s serious and organized crime groups use technology in two basic ways: to commit criminal activities and as a countermeasure against law enforcement. Let’s explore these two paths in more detail. 14 https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/european-union-serious-and-organised- crime-threat-assessment 8 https://www.europol.europa.eu/socta-report 15 https://www.europol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/socta2021_2.pdf 16 https://go.chainalysis.com/rs/503-FAP-074/images/2020-Crypto-Crime-Report.pdf " 7 out of 10 organized crime groups are active in more than three countries." - Europol 7