Europol has announced a major breakthrough in the fight against transnational organized crime, with the arrest of two of Europe’s most dangerous fugitives. The operation marks a significant success for European law enforcement cooperation.
A Turkish National Linked to an Assassination Attempt
A 29-year-old Turkish national — wanted by German authorities for attempted murder — was arrested in Turkey in early May 2026. According to German prosecutors, he is suspected of orchestrating an attempted assassination that took place on 26 April 2025 in Ludwigshafen. He was also linked to international criminal networks. A regional court in Stuttgart had issued an international arrest warrant for him.
His capture came just days after his profile was published on the EU Most Wanted website as part of Europol’s GRIMM operational team initiative. GRIMM focuses on tracking down some of the continent’s most dangerous individuals involved in ‘criminal service provision’ — essentially offering illicit services such as contract violence, document fraud, or money laundering for profit.
Senior Camorra Figure Arrested in Spain
In a separate cross-border operation conducted on 15 May 2026, Italian and Spanish police arrested a high-ranking member of the Camorra — Italy’s powerful Neapolitan mafia — in Alicante, Spain. The suspect is a leading figure within the Licciardi clan, part of the Secondigliano Alliance, a coalition that includes the Contini and Mallardo clans.
He had been wanted since June 2025, when Italian judicial authorities issued an arrest warrant charging him with mafia-style extortion. His arrest followed coordinated investigative efforts led by Italian law enforcement and supported by Europol.