Fight against organised crime

Combating organised crime requires a combination of measures based on exchange of information and cooperation between different operators. Effective information gathering and exchange of information between public authorities are essential elements in the fight against organised crime.

The key ministries in the fight against organised crime are the Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for criminal policy, crime prevention and criminal sanctions, the Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for internal security, and the Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for the prevention of money laundering. The prevention of money laundering is an essential part of combating organised crime.

The National Bureau of Investigation plays a key role among the authorities in providing up-to-date information, creating situation awareness and acting as the police unit responsible for the operational activities in combating organised crime. The National Bureau of Investigation also hosts the Financial Intelligence Unit.

Participation in the activities of an organised criminal group has been specifically criminalised. The most severe punishment for the act is imprisonment for two years (chapter 17, section 1a of the Criminal Code).  If any offence is committed as part of the activities of an organised criminal group, it may constitute grounds for increasing the punishment (chapter 6, section 5 of the Criminal Code). For this purpose, the Criminal Code contains a clear and precise definition of an organised criminal group (chapter 6, section 5, subsection 2).

Combating crime calls for international cooperation 

The European Union identified its main priorities for 2020–2025 in the EU Security Union Strategy 2020. The Strategy sets out four EU-level priorities, which form the current framework for the fight against organised crime in Europe.

In April 2021, the European Commission published a new EU strategy to tackle organised crime for 2021–2025. It sets out the priorities, actions and objectives for five years to put the EU on a stronger footing in the fight against organised crime.

In May 2021, the EU adopted its priorities for the fight against serious and organised crime for the next four years. The priorities will be implemented between 2022 and 2025 within the European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).

In June 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted a recommendation on operational police cooperation. This sets out a series of standards for operational cooperation between police officers operating in another EU Member State or participating in joint operations.