Europol Task Force Arrests 280 Over ‘Violence-for-Hire’

European police have arrested 280 people in the first year of a multinational operation targeting a growing criminal trend in which violence is offered as a paid service, according to the European Union’s law enforcement agency, Europol.

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The arrests were made by an international task force set up to tackle networks that recruit individuals—often young people—through social media and messaging platforms to carry out crimes ranging from assaults to killings.

Authorities say the development reflects a shift in organised crime, where violent acts can now be arranged online in a model resembling a gig economy.

Growing ‘violence-as-a-service’ networks

In a statement released on Wednesday, Europol said violence is increasingly being treated as a service that can be arranged remotely.

“Violence is no longer confined to isolated acts or local dynamics,” the agency said. “It is increasingly offered as a service: accessible, scalable and driven by online ecosystems that enable recruitment, coordination and execution across borders.”

According to Europol, criminal groups use online platforms to recruit people willing to commit violent acts on their behalf. Many recruits are minors or young adults who are contacted through encrypted messaging apps or social media.

The agency warned that such networks allow criminal organisers to operate across multiple countries while distancing themselves from the acts carried out on the ground.

International policing effort

The task force was created last year and brings together law enforcement agencies from 11 European countries. Participating nations include Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Over its first 12 months, investigators identified more than 1,400 individuals suspected of links to violence-for-hire operations.

Authorities said the arrests represent early results of a broader effort to dismantle the networks behind the crimes rather than focusing only on those who carry them out.

Cases linked to attacks and shootings

Among those detained was a Dutch citizen accused of acting as a getaway driver for two minors suspected of carrying out a series of explosions in Germany in July and August 2025.

In another case, Swedish police arrested a minor in January for alleged involvement in a shooting outside a prison in the Dutch city of Alphen aan den Rijn.

Europol said these incidents illustrate how individuals can be recruited from one country to commit violent acts in another, often arranged entirely online.

Suspects added to Europe’s most-wanted list

The agency has also published details of three men on Europe’s most-wanted website who are believed to be linked to violence-as-a-service networks.

Two of the suspects are from Sweden and one is from Germany. Authorities say they are wanted in connection with offences including murder, drug trafficking and money laundering.

Investigators say the cross-border nature of these networks makes international cooperation essential to tracking down those organising and financing the crimes.

Law enforcement officials warn that the model could continue to expand as criminals exploit digital platforms to recruit participants and coordinate attacks across Europe.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 30 April 2026