Europol Report on Criminal Networks Abuse of Legal Business Structures

The findings emphasise the need for vigilance and stronger collaboration to protect the integrity of the economy.

Key Takeaways Include:

• 86% of the EU's most threatening criminal networks exploit legal business structures (LBS) for activities such as money laundering, fraud, and trafficking​;
• High-risk sectors include logistics, construction, and cash-intensive businesses like hospitality, which are commonly used for money laundering or as fronts for criminal operations​;
• Criminals frequently leverage LBS to conceal their operations, create shell companies, or infiltrate legitimate firms to evade detection​; and
• The abuse of LBS extends across borders, with networks exploiting companies both within and outside the EU​.

✅ Organisations should aim to strengthen their due diligence processes and implement robust anti-money laundering measures to combat the misuse of legal business structures.