An international task force established to address violence as a criminal service has successfully conducted 280 arrests in its inaugural year, according to the European Union’s police agency, Europol. These arrests signal a concerning trend across Europe, where criminals are increasingly engaging individuals—many of whom are young—through social media and messaging applications to execute acts of violence, which range from assaults to homicides, reflecting a troubling evolution of the gig economy.
Europol stated, “Violence is no longer confined to isolated incidents or local dynamics. It is increasingly offered as a service: accessible, scalable, and facilitated by online ecosystems that enable recruitment, coordination, and execution across borders.”
The task force was formed last year and includes police representatives from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In its first year of operation, the task force identified over 1,400 individuals associated with the phenomenon of violence-as-a-service.
Among those arrested was a Dutch national, accused of serving as a getaway driver for two minors allegedly involved in a series of explosions in Germany during July and August 2025. Additionally, a minor was apprehended in Sweden in January for alleged participation in a shooting outside a prison facility in Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands.
Europol has also posted information regarding three men on its European most-wanted list, who are sought for their alleged involvement in networks related to violence as a service. This group includes two individuals from Sweden and one from Germany, all linked to serious offences such as murder, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
