EU judicial cooperation agency steps up fight against organised crime

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The European Union’s judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, has launched a new network to strengthen and further coordinate the continent’s fight against organized crime. The European Judicial Organized Crime Network’s first priority will be tackling drug-related crime. The number of drug trafficking cases at Eurojust has doubled since 2020. The organization said Wednesday that in 2023 it will work on almost 2,500 cases that have led to the seizure of drugs worth more than 25 billion euros ($28 billion). Eurojust said in a statement that tackling criminal gangs “requires a transnational approach that is fast, flexible and able to adapt to a constantly changing criminal landscape.”