EU NOTEBOOK: Raluca Pruna’s wise words; Danielle Goudriaan on the EPPO’s big ambitions; what of regulatory arbitrage?; Swiss show their smarts; and AML Intelligence’s event with Suddeutsche Zeitung

Regulatory Watch News

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  Encrypted app intelligence exposes sprawling criminal networks across Europe

  Europol

  April 15, 2025

  Law enforcement authorities across Europe and Türkiye have dismantled four major criminal networks responsible for fuelling the flow of drugs into the EU and Türkiye, following a series of coordinated raids supported by Europol. These results were made possible by the continued exploitation of encrypted communication platforms, including Sky ECC and ANOM, which remain powerful tools in the hands of investigators.

  Unmasking the drug pipelines into Europe

  On 15 April, coordinated raids took place in several European countries and Türkiye, targeting both the leadership and logistical arms of these criminal networks. A total of 232 suspects have been arrested, including High Value Targets who played a pivotal role in drug trafficking and money laundering operations.

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  France: EPPO carries out searches and arrests seven people in probe into VAT fraud involving luxury cars

  European Public Prosecutor's Office

  April 15, 2025

  (Luxembourg, 15 April 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Paris (France) has carried out searches and arrested seven suspects in several cities in France, in a probe into an alleged VAT fraud involving valuable vehicles, conducted between 4 February and 10 April 2025. On 11 April 2025, three of the suspects were charged with organised fraud, money laundering, criminal conspiracy and abuse of vulnerable persons. They are subject to coercive and preventive measures, including prohibition to speak to other suspects.

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  FCA establishes presence in the United States and Asia-Pacific

  Financial Conduct Authority

  April 15, 2025

  Under its new strategy, the FCA is establishing a presence in the United States (US) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) for the first time.

  In the US, Tash Miah started in April at the British Embassy in Washington, DC. Tash will work closely with the Department for Business and Trade to advance UK-US financial services policy and regulatory cooperation, and support financial firms in the US to navigate UK regulation. Based in Australia, Camille Blackburn will establish a regional office from July 2025 as the FCA’s director – Asia-Pacific. The role will focus on supporting financial services firms to navigate regulation to enter the UK market or raise capital and provide UK firms with support expanding into the APAC region.