Source: 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 EuropeOn 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…
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Penny Whitten has been a telecommunications officer working in the Operational Communications Centre with the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador for over eight years. In her position, she receives calls for police service from the public for emergency and non emergency situations. She dispatches police officers to the calls received and ensures their safety by monitoring their status. With her vast experience, she also trains in and coaches newly hired telecommunications operators.
Penny says that the most interesting part of the job is never knowing what the day will bring. Each call for service and interaction with the public is unique and never boring!
For Penny, the best thing about working in the Operational Communications Centre at RCMP NL Headquarters is her teammates and the police officers who she interacts with. She enjoys knowing that the work she does can make a difference on someone’s worst day.
So, what does it take to be a telecommunications operator? Penny says empathy, compassion, and patience are key, along with quick thinking and great multitasking abilities.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Inverness County District RCMP recovered four stolen firearms near a school in Whycocomagh.
On April 10, at approximately 2 p.m., officers responded to a report of firearms being located on the ground near a school.
Upon arrival, officers were led to the firearms, which were found to be rusty and covered in grass. The firearms were subsequently seized. Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that they had been stolen during a previous break and enter in Whycocomagh in June 2024.
Anyone with information about the stolen firearms is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Santo Tavarez Mateo (43), a Dominican national, guilty of attempting to import cocaine into the United States. Tavarez Mateo faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to testimony and evidence presented during the three-day trial, Colombian National Police officers investigated a package at the Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport in Barranquilla, Colombia, before an airline transported the cargo from Barranquilla to Miami, and then on to Amsterdam. During the inspection, Colombian National Police officials found various food products in the cargo, including coconut cream, quinoa powder, and granulated quinoa. The cargo also contained cocaine mixed in with some of the food products, as a Colombian National Police chemist later confirmed. Colombian National Police officials seized the cargo and learned that it was shipped by a company that belonged to Tavarez Mateo. Tavarez Mateo operated this company, Industria Derividos del Coco S.A.S., under the alias “Aristides Castillo Castillo,” and using a fake Colombian identity. Tavarez Mateo later admitted to a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent that he had shipped the drug-laden cargo and that he did so under this false identity.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Colombian National Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Buchanan and Lauren Stoia.
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
Update: PC Samuel McGregor, 33, appeared at Inner London Court on Tuesday, 15 April where he was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment.
After McGregor was convicted of rape, an accelerated misconduct hearing took place on Thursday, 27 February 2025, where McGregor was dismissed without notice. He will be placed on the barred list held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies, the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
A Met officer has been convicted of rape following an investigation by detectives.
PC Samuel McGregor, 33, previously attached to the Central North Command Unit was found guilty of rape on Friday, 24 January following a trial at Inner London Crown Court.
He had previously pleaded not guilty to rape at Inner London Crown Court Crown Court on 23 June 2023.
Chief Superintendent Andy Carter, in charge of policing for Central North: “I am sickened by McGregor’s abhorrent behaviour and the pain he has caused the victim.
“There is simply no place for individuals like McGregor in the Met, and we will continue to root out such vile individuals.
“I am proud of the officers who throughout the investigation displayed the care and compassion deserved by the victim, as they carried out interviews and gathered forensic evidence to show the extent of the abuse and develop a watertight case against McGregor.
“Now that criminal proceedings have taken place, McGregor will face a misconduct hearing at the earliest opportunity.”
The court heard that the victim, who was known to McGregor, had been raped on 11 May 2021 at an address in London. She confided this incident to her colleagues at a later date, and they reported it to officers on the victim’s behalf on 2 June 2021. McGregor was swiftly arrested the day after, on suspicion of rape.
A misconduct hearing will take place in due course.
Sentencing will be held on Monday, 10 March.
McGregor was suspended from duty on 3 March 2022 after he admitted lying during a police interview.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Christopher Lee Smith (43, St. Augustine) to 27 years in federal prison for producing a child sex abuse video. Smith was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and pay $4,000 in restitution to a child victim. Smith is a registered child sex offender, having been previously convicted on January 10, 2012, of traveling from Georgia to St. Johns County to meet an 8-year-old child for sexual activity. Smith was arrested on September 2, 2021, and has been detained since that time. Smith pleaded guilty on March 18, 2024.
According to court documents, on June 28, 2021, Smith engaged in a text conversation on a social media application (app) with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as the parent of a minor “child.” Smith advised the undercover agent that he wanted to have sex with the “child” and discussed in detail the sexual acts that he wished to perform on the “child.” On August 30, 2021, Smith and the undercover agent engaged in more online conversations on the app. Smith advised that he had twice sexually abused a particular child and sent a video to the undercover agent that depicted this child being sexually abused. Through further investigation, FBI agents confirmed the identities of both Smith and the 13-year-old victim.
On September 2, 2021, FBI agents arrested Smith and seized his cellphone. A search of the phone revealed that Smith had been exchanging sexually explicit text messages with this 13-year-old child for several months. The phone also contained videos and photos depicting children being sexually abused. Further investigation revealed that on July 31, 2021, Smith drove to meet this child at a retail store in St. Johns County and took the child back to Smith’s residence in St. Augustine. While at the residence, Smith used produced a video depicting him sexually abusing the child. Later, Smith distributed several clips of the video to the child by text message.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), along with experts from the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and Switzerland, collected samples today of ALPS treated water that had been diluted with seawater ahead of its discharge into the sea at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS).
The activity is the latest mission carried out under the additional measures which focus on expanding international participation and transparency, allowing hands-on independent measurements of the concentration level of the ALPS treated water which TEPCO – operator of the FDNPS – began discharging in August 2023. In September 2024, the IAEA agreed with Japan to implement additional measures. Through additional measures, third parties can independently verify that water discharge levels are, and will continue to be, in strict compliance and consistent with international safety standards.
Today’s sampling was the first mission of the additional measures under the IAEA framework to sample the diluted water from the discharge facilities at the plant. It follows a mission in February when IAEA Director General Grossi joined the activities with experts from China, the Republic of Korea and Switzerland to collect seawater samples from a boat in the vicinity of FDNPS. It also builds on the first practical steps of the additional measures carried out in October last year when international experts conducted seawater sampling.
The experts from the China Institute for Radiation Protection, the Korean Institute for Nuclear Safety, the Institute of Natural Monopolies Research in Russia, and the Spiez Laboratory in Switzerland collected samples from the discharge vertical shaft and seawater pipe header where ALPS treated water is diluted with seawater before being discharged through a one-kilometre-long tunnel into the sea. The samples were taken from the 12th batch of ALPS treated water to be discharged. Last week, the IAEA confirmed that the tritium level in the 12th batch was far below Japan’s operational limit.
The samples will be analysed by the IAEA laboratory, by laboratories in Japan and in the participating laboratories from China, Korea, Russia and Switzerland, all members of the IAEA’s Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA) network, which were selected for their high level of expertise and analytical proficiency.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
EL PASO, TX—The FBI El Paso Field Office invites all interested 9th-12th grade students enrolled in accredited high schools (public, private or homeschool) in El Paso to apply to attend the FBI El Paso Teen Academy, which will be held at 660 S. Mesa Hills. The academy will run from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday only, and 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
“Participating in the FBI El Paso Teen Academy is an exciting and unique opportunity for students who are passionate about making a difference in their communities and our nation,” said John Morales, FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge. “As the future leaders and changemakers, today’s teens have an amazing, firsthand opportunity to step inside the world of the FBI and explore how they can be part of something greater—protecting the American people and upholding the U.S. Constitution. This immersive experience not only introduces students to real-world, multi-disciplinary career paths in federal law enforcement, but also inspires them to develop leadership, integrity, and a strong sense of civic duty. If you’re driven by purpose bigger than yourself, a burning desire to protect your community and curious about how the FBI serves our nation, the Teen Academy is your first step toward an impactful and rewarding future.”
The FBI Teen Academy provides an opportunity for high school students to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the FBI. Upon completion of Teen Academy, high school students will have a greater understanding of the FBI’s mission and how we serve our citizens, community, and nation. During the academy, students will be afforded an opportunity to learn about how evidence is collected at crime scenes; discover how FBI SWAT executes arrests; learn about terrorism, civil rights, crimes against children, and cyber programs; as well as job opportunities and requirements. Students will learn from Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts, Language Specialists, and Professional Staff about investigative tactics that include gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and assisting with cases.
The FBI does not hire only individuals with a criminal justice background, therefore, any student with an interest in the FBI and what we do is encouraged to apply. All students will be evaluated based on their application (school activities and community involvement) and an essay to determine which students will be offered a seat in the class. None of the above elements will be the sole basis of the evaluation of an application, and the application process should be taken seriously by all applicants.
The application, release form, and a supporting essay must be received by the FBI El Paso Field Office by 5 p.m. May 16, 2025. Submit applications to: FBI_EP_TeenAcademy@fbi.gov. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. We will notify students of their application status by e-mail no later than Friday, May 30, 2025. The application and more information can be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/elpaso/community-outreach
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
EL PASO, TX—La Oficina de Campo del FBI en El Paso invita a todos los estudiantes interesados de 9º a 12º grado inscritos en escuelas secundarias acreditadas (públicas, privadas o de educación en el hogar) en El Paso a solicitar asistir al FBI El Paso Teen Academy (la Academia de Adolescentes del FBI en El Paso), que se llevará a cabo en 660 S. Mesa Hills. La academia se llevará a cabo de 8:30 a.m. a 4:00 p.m. Solo los martes, y de 8:30 a.m. a 12:00 p.m. De miércoles a viernes.
“Participar en la Academia de Adolescentes del FBI en El Paso es una oportunidad emocionante y única para los estudiantes apasionados por marcar la diferencia en sus comunidades y en nuestra nación,” dijo John Morales, Agente Especial a Cargo del FBI en El Paso. “Como futuros líderes y agentes de cambio, los adolescentes de hoy tienen una oportunidad increíble y de primera mano de adentrarse en el mundo del FBI y explorar cómo pueden ser parte de algo más grande: proteger a los estadounidenses y defender la Constitución de los Estados Unidos. Esta experiencia inmersiva no solo presenta a los estudiantes trayectorias profesionales multidisciplinarias del mundo real en la aplicación de la ley federal, sino que también los inspira a desarrollar liderazgo, integridad y un fuerte sentido del deber cívico. Si te impulsa un propósito más grande que tú mismo, un deseo ardiente de proteger a tu comunidad y sientes curiosidad por saber cómo el FBI sirve a nuestra nación, la Academia para Adolescentes es tu primer paso hacia un futuro impactante y gratificante.”
La Academia de Adolescentes del FBI ofrece una oportunidad para que los estudiantes de secundaria echen un vistazo detrás de escena del FBI. Al finalizar Teen Academy, los estudiantes de secundaria tendrán una mayor comprensión de la misión del FBI y cómo servimos a nuestros ciudadanos, comunidad y nación. Durante la academia, los estudiantes tendrán la oportunidad de aprender cómo se recopilan las pruebas en las escenas del crimen; descubra cómo el SWAT del FBI ejecuta los arrestos; aprenderán sobre terrorismo, derechos civiles, delitos contra niños y programas cibernéticos; así como las oportunidades y requisitos laborales. Los estudiantes aprenderán de agentes especiales, analistas de inteligencia, especialistas en idiomas y personal profesional sobre tácticas de investigación que incluyen la recopilación de pruebas, entrevistas a testigos y asistencia en los casos.
El FBI no contrata solo a personas con experiencia en justicia penal, por lo tanto, se alienta a cualquier estudiante con interés en el FBI y lo que hacemos a postularse. Todos los estudiantes serán evaluados en función de su solicitud (actividades escolares y participación comunitaria) y un ensayo para determinar a qué estudiantes se les ofrecerá un asiento en la clase. Ninguno de los elementos anteriores será la única base de la evaluación de una solicitud, y el proceso de solicitud debe ser tomado en serio por todos los solicitantes.
La solicitud, el formulario de autorización y un ensayo de respaldo deben ser recibidos por la Oficina de Campo del FBI en El Paso antes de las 5 p.m. 16 de mayo de 2025. Las solicitudes se presentarán a: FBI_EP_TeenAcademy@fbi.govFBI_EP_TeenAcademy@fbi.gov. No se aceptarán solicitudes incompletas y tardías. Notificaremos a los estudiantes sobre el estado de su solicitud por correo electrónico a más tardar el viernes 30 de mayo de 2025. La aplicación y más información se pueden encontrar aquí: FBI.gov/EPOutreach
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Edward Caspino, 47, of Waianae, was sentenced today in federal court by U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright to 168 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine and operating an illegal gambling business. Judge Seabright also ordered that the defendant forfeit any interest in more than $600,000 in cash seized by investigators in this case, and any interest in a 10-acre real property in Waianae that was used to host the illegal gambling business.
According to court records, Caspino distributed a total of three pounds of methamphetamine on three occasions in July 2021. With respect to the gambling charges, Caspino organized and conducted a large-scale chicken fighting operation at his property in Waianae from as early as February 2021 through March 2023. He and his five co-defendants hosted regular chicken fighting events that constituted illegal gambling under the laws of the State of Hawaii. Each chicken fight event involved numerous individual chicken fights, during which hundreds of spectators and participants bet on the outcome of the fights.
Caspino is the first to be sentenced among the six illegal gambling business conspirators. Co-defendants William Caspino, Lavern Joseph, Kerilyn Caspino, and Fausto Aragon, Jr. each pled guilty to charges related to the illegal gambling conspiracy. Co-defendant Howard Unebasami was convicted of conspiracy and operating an illegal gambling business by a jury after a four-day trial in March 2025.
“Today’s lengthy sentence demonstrates that federal authorities will work together to put behind bars those responsible for illegal gambling operations and the community violence and drug trafficking tied to them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “This prosecution has already secured convictions against five coconspirators, and Caspino’s 168-month sentence stands as a stark warning: running an illegal gambling business in Hawaii carries serious and lasting consequences under federal law.”
Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Hawaii, said today’s announcement underscores the agency’s commitment to halt the flow of drugs on the island. “The methamphetamine epidemic continues to threaten the health, safety and wellbeing of our communities. We are determined to intercept drug suppliers and to disrupt their criminal activities, at every point. DEA will continue to work with partners to safeguard our residents.”
“Today’s sentencing of Mr. Caspino and the guilty pleas of the co-defendants is a testament to HSI’s unwavering commitment to combating illegal narcotics and gambling operations that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “We will continue to pursue justice and hold accountable those who violate federal laws designed to protect our communities.”
“FBI Special Agents – along with our partner agencies – work relentlessly every day to protect our communities from the dangers of drug trafficking organizations,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that we will use every available resource to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle these organizations.”
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Honolulu Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese prosecuted the case.
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
Murder investigation launched following death of a 21-year-old man in Walworth.
On Monday, 14 April at 21:16hrs police were called to Hillingdon Street, SE17 following reports of a stabbing.
Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service who treated a 21-year-old man for stab injuries.
Sadly, despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Enquiries are on-going to locate his next of kin.
Borough Commander Emma Bond who leads policing in Southwark has said: “We understand this news is both shocking and unsettling to the community and a number of crime scenes remain in place.
“Our investigations continue and there will be an increased police presence in the area, I advise anyone in the community who has concerns to speak to their local officers.
“I would also like to appeal to the public for information. Please, if you saw, heard or have any footage following last night’s incident then please come forward. Your information can significantly help our detectives with their investigation. You can do so by calling 101, referencing CAD 7392/14APR.”
Five men and a woman all aged in their 20s were arrested shortly after the incident on suspicion of murder. They all remain in police custody, pending further investigation.
If you saw anything, or have any information then please contact police via 101 stating CAD7392/14APR. Alternatively, to remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Source: NATO
Today (15 April 2025), NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, Radmila Shekerinska, hosted the Chair and members of the Tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željka Cvijanović, Željko Komšić, and Denis Bećirović, at NATO Headquarters. They exchanged views with Allied Permanent Representatives on the latest developments in the country and across the region, and on NATO’s partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
NATO’s North Atlantic Council underlined NATO’s enduring commitment to stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, and to our enduring cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the discussion, it was reiterated that the Alliance remains concerned about recent developments and their adverse implications, including for the country’s constitutional order and the functionality of state institutions.
Against this backdrop, the Deputy Secretary General reaffirmed that “the Dayton Peace Agreement must be respected. It is a cornerstone of stability and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state architecture.” She also underscored that “NATO remains closely aligned with its international partners,” including the EU-led Operation Althea and the High Representative, and that NATO “will not accept any kind of security vacuum in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And we will not allow hard-won peace to be jeopardised.”
Deputy Secretary General Shekerinska restated the Alliance’s support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress “on its European and Euro-Atlantic path” and highlighted that it was important “to build upon this foundation, for the benefit of everyone living there.”
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
A massive worldwide operation led by the Met has seen a prolific cyber-criminal sent to prison for eight-and-a-half years.
Zak Coyne, 23 (22.02.01) of Woodbine Road, Huddersfield, was sentenced for leading a website used by more than 2,000 criminals to defraud victims all over the world.
The LabHost service was set up by a criminal cyber network in 2021 to create “phishing” websites, designed to trick victims into revealing personal data such as email addresses, passwords and bank details.
For a membership fee, users could log on and choose from existing sites or request bespoke pages replicating trusted brands including banks, healthcare agencies and postal services.
The platform was brought down in April 2024 after the Met’s Cyber Crime Unit gathered crucial intelligence and joined forces with partners across the country, including the National Crime Agency and Microsoft.
In the same month, the Met arrested 24 suspects, targeting the most prolific offenders within the LabHost service, while over 70 addresses were searched.
As part of the Met’s duty of care, officers safeguarded victims by establishing a helpline, directing people to protected advice on the Met website, and securing compromised accounts.
Specially trained officers offered personalised advice, including how to further protect victims’ data, and ensuring every case was reported to both Action Fraud and UK Finance.
Coyne admitted his crimes at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday, 18 September. These included: making or supplying articles for use in frauds; encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence believing it would be committed; and transferring criminal property.
He was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Monday, 14 April.
Commander Stephen Clayman, Head of the Met’s Central Specialist Crime team, said:
“The outcome of this case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the Met in pursuing individuals like Coyne who mastermind a network of fraudulent activity, which ultimately brings misery to thousands of innocent people.
“This also demonstrates the commitment across law enforcement to identify and hold those to account who facilitate criminal enabling functions and think they can remain undetected. We will find you and take action.
“This has been monumental operation lead by the Met and I would like to thank all the partners – including the NCA, City of London Police and Cyber Defence Alliance – involved for their invaluable input and without whom, this would not have been a success.
“We will continue to work across law enforcement and key stakeholders, including international partners, to ensure that the Met contributes to the ongoing system response to cyber-related fraud.”
Thomas Short, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said:
“Zak Coyne operated a phishing service that provided fraudsters with the tools to impersonate trusted institutions and steal sensitive information from unsuspecting victims.
“This was a sophisticated worldwide criminal enterprise which enabled others to perpetrate fraud on a massive scale, resulting in losses totalling more than £100 million.
“Fraud is far from a victimless crime and the harm caused by Coyne’s offending are measured not just in monetary terms, but also in the distress inflicted on countless victims who fell prey to these scams.
“This was a complex case, but the prosecution team, together with law enforcement partners, was able to unravel an intricate web of digital evidence which linked Coyne to the offending and build a strong case against him, resulting in his guilty pleas.”
Craig Rice, CEO Cyber Defence Alliance, said:
“This is an excellent International law enforcement operation, supported by the Cyber Defence Alliance and other private industry partners, to disrupt and arrest criminal services providers.
“These Cybercrime-As-A-Service platforms enable thousands of other fraudsters to conduct online frauds that impacts bank and retail customers across the UK.
“Law enforcement working with industry makes for a formidable alliance that will disrupt such criminal networks”.
Steven Masada, Assistant General Counsel, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, said:
“We commend the Met and their collaborative efforts against the leaders of the prolific cybercrime-as-a-service provider, LabHost.
“While in operation, LabHost provided services to scammers and other cybercriminals that targeted Microsoft customers and harmed users online.
“The dismantling of LabHost disrupted the activities of countless online actors, protecting an untold number of potential victims worldwide.
“Microsoft will continue to collaborate with the public and private sector to protect individuals and help provide evidence that brings perpetrators of cybercrime to justice.”
Adrian Searle, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre, within the National Crime Agency, said:
“Fraud is the crime we are all most likely to experience, and it causes victims long-lasting emotional and psychological harm, in addition to financial loss.
“Criminals are using current and emerging technologies to commit fraud on an industrial scale.
“The takedown of LabHost by the Met demonstrates what law enforcement can achieve when we work together to tackle this rapidly evolving, and complex, threat.
“In this operation and similar, we are undermining the fraudsters’ trust in the criminal services they are accessing online, and showing that providing and using them comes with consequences.”
Edvardas Šileris, Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), said:
“The dismantling of LabHost is a clear example of the impact that cross-border cooperation has on combatting cybercrime.
“By leveraging the collective expertise of our law enforcement partners, Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) has helped disrupt a major phishing-as-a-service platform, safeguarding victims and making it harder for criminals to operate with impunity.
“This operation highlights the critical importance of international collaboration in confronting the evolving threat posed by cybercriminals.
“We congratulate all partners involved for their hard work and commitment to bringing these criminals to justice.”
To avoid becoming a victim of online crime you don’t need to be a computer expert. Developing a few good online habits drastically reduces your chances of becoming a victim of cyber crime, makes you less vulnerable and lets you use the web safely.
Visit Cyber Aware for step-by-step instructions on keeping your devices up-to-date with the latest security updates, and for more online security advice.
Be careful when opening emails and texts, especially if you don’t know the sender. If an email or text is unexpected or seems unusual, even if it’s from someone you know, ignore it and contact the sender directly to check if they sent it.
Your bank, the police and reputable companies will never ask for sensitive or financial details via email, phone or text.
The Met has issued ten golden rules to help people protect themselves from fraud:
If you think you have been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
Remember that if you’re a victim of a scam or an attempted scam, however minor, there may be hundreds or thousands of others in a similar position. Your information may form part of one big jigsaw and be vital to completing the picture.
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
Police investigating an incident where a man exposed himself near to a children’s playground in Islington are appealing for witnesses.
The incident happened at around 18:00hrs on Saturday, 12 April in Barnard Park, N1.
A witness reported that a man, described as white wearing a red jacket and dark bottoms, had exposed himself in the park. Officers attended and the man was arrested and has subsequently been charged – he remains in custody.
Officers are appealing for anyone who was in the area of the children’s playground in Barnard Park on Saturday evening and saw this incident to contact police. To provide information you can call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote reference 01/7372667/25. You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
BARRIGADA READINESS CENTER, Guam — In an unprecedented move, B Company, 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment, Guam National Guard, known as “Team Binadu,” was awarded the prestigious Alexander Hamilton Award on April 12, 2025. The award, typically reserved for artillery units, recognizes the best Army National Guard unit across a range of criteria including mission performance, training excellence, and community impact.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
SANTA RITA, Guam — From March 24 to April 4, 2025, maritime law enforcement and emergency responders from the Guam Port Authority and Guam Fire Department participated in two intensive training courses hosted at the Port and by Station Apra Harbor: the NASBLA Boat Crew Member Course (March 24–28) and the Boat Operator for Search and Rescue Course (BOSAR) (March 31–April 4).
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
PHILIPPINE SEA — The U.S. Navy’s expeditionary Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 131, operating under Task Force 70, joined surface and air forces from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for bilateral training south of Okinawa, Japan, on April 3, 2025.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
KAKINADA, India (April 11, 2025) – Nearly 1,000 U.S. and Indian military personnel took part in a large-scale amphibious landing drill on Kakinada Beach in Andhra Pradesh, India, on April 11, 2025, for the culminating event in Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
For the first time ever, the U.S. Navy is bringing Navy Week to American Samoa, April 14-17. As part of a global outreach effort, American Samoa Navy Week will connect Sailors with the community through a variety of performances, educational events, and service projects.
Source: United States Coast Guard
04/14/2025 06:17 PM EDT
SAN DIEGO — The crew of Coast Guard Station San Diego, Coast Guard Cutter Sea Otter and Coast Guard Cutter David Duren apprehended 18 aliens in two separate interdictions off the coast of San Diego, Sunday.
Source: United States Navy Pacific Fleet 1
VISAKHAPATNAM, Andra Pradesh, India (April 7, 2025) Operations Specialist 3rd Class Neet Patel, 26, assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), moved to the United States from Gujarat, on the west coast of India, with his parents and brother in 2014. He joined the Navy three years ago, seeing it as an opportunity for a career.
Source: United States Attorneys General 13
Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Central California, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 1,020 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.
The Southern District of Texas filed 229 cases in border security-related matters. As part of those cases, 80 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, firearms or sexual offenses, or prior immigration crimes. A total of 126 people face charges of illegally entering the country, 18 cases involve various instances of human smuggling with others relating to firearms, false statements and other immigration matters. One such case alleges Victor D. Perozo-Zarraga committed fraud and misuse of a visa after authorities found him in possession of fraudulent legal permanent resident and Social Security documents. He indicated he had legal status to be in the United States, which he does not, according to the complaint. Other relevant matters this week include a Mexican visa holder who attempted to bring child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and drugs across the border. Christian Christopher Rodriguez-Lopez was ordered to serve 151 months after attempting to enter the United States from Mexico. Upon inspection, law enforcement located approximately five kilograms of cocaine in his vehicle. Further investigation following his arrest resulted in the additional discovery of CSAM on his cell phone. His visa has since been revoked.
The Western District of Texas filed 295 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases. Among the new cases, Mexican national Jorge Alberto Garcia-Drue was encountered at the Frio County Jail in Pearsall after he was arrested for allegedly refusing to provide accurate identification. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement Removal Operations agents determined that Garcia-Drue was an alien illegally present within the United States and that he had been previously removed from the country. A review of his criminal history revealed that he had also been convicted on Dec. 10, 2014 of harboring illegal aliens and aiding and abetting. For that conviction, Garcia-Drue was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.
The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 261 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 103 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 140 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 14 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The Southern District of California filed 116 border-related cases, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, receipt of bribes by public officials, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The Central District of California filed charges against 21 defendants who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal. Many of the defendants charged were previously convicted of felony offenses prior to their removal from the United States, including alien smuggling, burglary, grand theft, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The District of New Mexico brought the following criminal charges: 63 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), four individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 38 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325). Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions, with some of those convictions being for drug trafficking, alien smuggling, and grand theft.
We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, MO man pled guilty in federal court today to conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to illegally trafficking firearms, to include a handgun that was converted into a machinegun.
Antonio Manning, 23, pled guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to the aforementioned charges.
By pleading guilty today, Antonio Manning admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law. According to the plea agreement, the defendants trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun.
On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, the brother of Antonio Manning, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.
On April 07, 2025, co-defendant Michael Dewayne Hardy pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.
Under federal statutes, Antonio Manning is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: United States Navy
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan embarked USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12, to observe the strike group’s Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), Apr. 10-11. The visit was the Secretary’s first visit to an operational carrier strike group since becoming the 79th Secretary of the Navy on March 25, 2025.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda, 32, a Mexican national from Penjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico, illegally present in the United States, was sentenced on April 2, 2025, by United States District Judge Krissa M. Lanham to 46 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States.
Court documents show that federal agents identified well over 100 individuals who used Hernandez-Mosqueda’s organization to be smuggled illegally into the United States through Arizona.
Beginning in early 2023, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered many Mexican nationals who entered the United States illegally and were claiming asylum. A number of the encounters involved family units who stated that Hernandez-Mosqueda was known in their hometown of Penjamo as someone who would guide individuals from Penjamo to Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico. From Sonoyta, the illegal aliens were smuggled into the United States by associates of Hernandez-Mosqueda. These aliens were referred to Hernandez-Mosqueda via Facebook and WhatsApp by individuals who had already been successfully smuggled illegally into the United States through his organization.
In addition to coordinating their illegal entry into the United States, Hernandez-Mosqueda coached the illegal aliens on how to claim asylum under false pretenses to gain legal status in the United States.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stuart Zander and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00820-PHX-KML
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-056_Hernandez-Mosqueda
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Source: United States Attorneys General 13
A federal jury convicted a Nevada man today for participating in a three-year conspiracy to fix the wages for home healthcare nurses in Las Vegas and for fraudulently failing to disclose the criminal antitrust investigation during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas, Nevada conspired to artificially cap the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019. The three-year conspiracy affected the wages of hundreds of Las Vegas registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide care to patients in their homes. During the pendency of the government’s investigation, Lopez then sold his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million while fraudulently concealing the government’s criminal investigation from the buyer.
“Wage-fixing agreements are nakedly unlawful attempts at unjustly profiting off American workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigal A. Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s verdict highlights what should be a clear message with antitrust crimes: the agreement is the crime. The Antitrust Division will zealously prosecute those who seek to unjustly profit off their employees. The nurses here deserved better and, under President Trump’s leadership, they will be protected.”
Lopez was convicted of one count of participating in a wage-fixing conspiracy and five counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14. A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals. A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Anthony Broadnax, 61, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to failure to register as a sex offender, after moving from Virginia to West Virginia, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about May 2021 through on or about July 26, 2021, Broadnax resided in Beckley, West Virginia, after relocating from Virginia. Broadnax failed to register in West Virginia or update his registration in Virginia as required by SORNA after his relocation. Broadnax is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his convictions for aggravated sexual battery on August 25, 1990, and rape on February 7, 1991, both in Prince William County, Virginia.
Broadnax is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-226.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID EDDY, 59, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 210 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for child exploitation offenses stemming from his sexual abuse of a young girl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2022, Eddy sexually abused a minor girl, who was approximately five years old, and used his cell phone to take photographs of his sexual abuse. Analysis of Eddy’s phone revealed more than 150 child sexual abuse images and videos of the minor victim and other child victims of sexual abuse.
Eddy was arrested on related state charges on October 5, 2022. On September 25, 2024, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Eddy has been detained since his arrest. The state charges are pending.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Simsbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Manchester (N.H.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anastasia E. King and Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Monday sentenced a man who defrauded insurance companies by staging vehicle accidents and injuries to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay $107,951 in restitution.
From September 2021 to January 2023, Adrian Peebles staged auto accidents, usually at night and in remote areas to minimize his chances of getting caught. Peebles nearly always claimed to have been injured and went to the emergency room complaining of “pain that required expensive tests that never identified any particular injury,” according to his plea agreement. Peebles insisted that the resulting payments from the vehicle insurance companies be made to him rather than the hospital and then did not pay his medical bills. His scheme cost two insurance companies $107,951.
Peebles, now 32, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that Whitcraft LLC and Berkshire Manufactured Products, Inc. (collectively the “Whitcraft Companies”), have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and have paid $1,317,653.44 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act when the Whitcraft Companies improperly obtained set-aside contracts reserved for small businesses that they were ineligible to receive.
Whitcraft LLC, a limited liability company located in Eastford, Connecticut, and Berkshire Manufactured Products, Inc., a corporation located in Newburyport, Massachusetts, machine and fabricate sheet metal aerospace parts and components for commercial and military aviation applications. In April 2017, controlling interests in both companies were acquired by a private equity group.
The government contends that, after they were acquired in April 2017, the Whitcraft Companies ceased to qualify as “small business concerns” within the meaning of the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) regulations relating to government contracts due to the Whitcraft Companies’ affiliation through stock ownership with other businesses. Between April 2017 and November 2022, the Whitcraft Companies falsely certified that they were “small business concerns” and, as a result, they were awarded 71 small business set-aside contracts that they were ineligible to receive.
Government contractors are required to timely disclose to the government, in writing, whenever they have credible evidence that they have committed a violation of the False Claims Act. On December 23, 2022, in connection with due diligence performed relating to the Whitcraft Companies’ sale to another entity, the Whitcraft Companies voluntarily disclosed to the government facts concerning their potential affiliation with other businesses that the government contends made them ineligible to be awarded contracts set aside for small businesses. The Whitcraft Companies received credit in the settlement for their voluntary disclosure and cooperation with the government during its investigation.
This investigation was conducted by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Contract Audit Agency Operations Investigative Support Division, the SBA Office of General Counsel, and DLA Aviation Fraud Counsel. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber.