OTF GRIMM builds on previous Europol initiatives targeting organized crime and represents a more focused response to the specific threat of youth exploitation in violent criminal activities. According to Europol intelligence briefings, organized crime groups now recruit minors across Europe to exploit them as low-level workers who carry out serious crimes, including drug trafficking, extortion, and even contract killings. In response to the concerning rise of “violence-as-a-service” (VaaS) and the exploitation of youth by organized crime, Europol has announced the formation of a new Operational Task Force (OTF), codenamed GRIMM. The recently published EU-SOCTA 2025 (European Union Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment) report highlights this trend as part of what Europol describes as “the changing DNA of serious and organised crime”. Investigations reveal that young perpetrators are being systematically recruited through social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps using sophisticated techniques, including coded language, gaming mechanics, and the glamorization of criminal lifestyles. Criminals now operate more like service providers, offering violence-on-demand to other criminal enterprises while maintaining operational security through youth recruitment. This recruitment has become increasingly sophisticated, with criminal networks offering payments as high as €20,000 for killings while employing digital strategies to maintain distance from these activities. Law enforcement agencies across Europe have already begun coordinated actions under the taskforce framework, with initial operations targeting digital recruitment channels and known facilitators of violence-as-a-service networks. Cyber Security News is a Dedicated News Platform For Cyber News, Cyber Attack News, Hacking News & Vulnerability Analysis.
This Cyber News was published on cybersecuritynews.com. Publication date: Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:40:10 +0000