Eutalia supports the Italian Ministry of th Interior – Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate in the Grant agreement ONNET – Direct award to support the activities of the “@ON Network” to tackle mafia-type structures and support transnational investigations n. 817618 funded by EU Internal Security Fund.
The DIA is making a special effort in countering transnational organised crime, not only at operational level, but also trying to raise awareness among the foreign counterparts, to spread a greater perception of the transnational organised crime phenomenon, including mafia type. In this framework, it was deemed necessary to improve, during the six months period of EU Council Italian Presidency, a tool supplementing at operational level the existing cooperation models.
The @ON Network, in coordination with Europol, makes it possible to deploy on-site specialised investigators, from police forces already members the Network, to fight “serious” and mafia-style organised crime operating inside and outside the European Union, facilitating the best practice exchange as well as the necessary trust relationship. The criminal groups under investigation are mainly Italian, ethnic Albanian, Eurasians, motorcycle gangs, and the emerging organizations (Nigerian, Turkish, Chinese mafias etc.) posing a serious threat for EU security and economy.
The @ON Network with its European grant Project called ONNET, is based on a Network of Countries and a “Core Group” (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain) serving as a control room with the aim of selecting the investigations to be supported. The information exchange is through the SIENA safe channel, and after the Core Group selection of the cases to support, the communications are shared with the involved police forces and Europol for the analysis.
In particular the Network aims are:
- to strengthen the cooperation and communication among law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to counter mafia-style serious and organised crime groups through:
- making available on site specialised investigators as consultants
- improving information exchange, through the SIENA channel, to develop a more accurate intelligence picture of organised crime
- to support the existing initiatives to improve the administrative approach in the fight against mafia-style organised crime groups, with a view to detect and recover the assets illegally acquired by criminal organizations.
The @ON added value is its streamlined and informal nature that makes possible to quickly support the investigations – both preventive and criminal – with investigators of the partner countries specialised on the specific investigated phenomenon.
The ONNET Project provides for:
- Operational Missions (OMs) of @ON investigators in direct support to Investigative Units of requesting Countries
- Special Tactics: loan of technical equipment (TE) and payment for informants (CHIS)
- Operational Task Forces (OTFs) to support the most complex investigations
- 2 Operational Conferences (OC) with the Heads of investigative Units of the partner Countries
The Network is supporting the Member States Investigative Units of @ON Network in 37 investigations, has funded 131 operational missions in favour of 567 investigators, leading to the arrest of 222 persons, including 3 fugitives, and seized about 2.5 million euros, drugs (including 21 cannabis plantations) and weapons. ONNET aims also to complement the current EU Policy Cycle, lacking of a specific EMPACT priority dedicated to countering organised crime as such, regardless of the offences committed by them.
Besides France (SIRASCO and PJGN), Germany (BKA), Spain (UDYCO and Guardia Civil), Belgium (National Police) and Netherlands (Federal Police) part of the Core Group of the of Network, are partners together with Europol: Hungary (National Police), Austria (BK), Romania (National Police), Australia (AFP) Malta (National Police), Switzerland (Federal Criminal Police), Czech Republic (NOCA), Slovenia (National Police), Poland (CBSP), Croatia (National Police), Georgia (National Police), Norway (NCIS), Albania (CPD), Portugal (UNCT) and USA (FBI).
Italy is represented by DIA and by Carabinieri Corps, Guardia di Finanza and National Police as partners, for a total number of 21 Countries and 26 LEAs.
Eutalia supports the administrative, logistic and financial management of the project.
