A six month operation has come to a close, arresting 193 individuals and disrupting the networks behind the growth of violence-as-a-service (VaaS). The organized crime groups that have been recruiting young people to carry out violent acts across Europe have become increasingly a priority target for law enforcement in recent years.

What is now seen as a growing issue across Europe, with criminal networks operating in multiple countries Europol has sought specialized investigators from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, alongside Europol experts and online service providers in the hopes of disrupting the recruitment process, which predominantly takes place on social media platforms, and stopping the spread of murder-for-hire services.

• 63 perpetrators arrested, directly preventing violent crimes
• 40 enablers apprehended, halting their facilitation of violence-for-hire services
• 84 recruiters detained, obstructing efforts to exploit vulnerable young people
• 6 instigators arrested, including 5 High Value Targets

Some examples of VAAS acts organized by criminals in this investigation included:

• Attempted murder (Germany, the Netherlands)

On 12 May 2025, an attempted murder took place in Tamm, Germany. Two suspects, aged 26 and 27, were arrested in the Netherlands on 1 October 2025.

• Triple shooting (the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany) 

On 28 March 2025, three people were killed in Oosterhout, the Netherlands. Three suspects were arrested in Sweden and Germany.

• Attempted murder (Spain, Sweden) 

On 1 July 2025, six suspects, including a minor, were arrested in Spain for planning a murder. The operation also led to the seizure of firearms and ammunition, preventing a potential tragedy.

Europol has stated they will be working with tech companies to identify these organizations and block recruitment activities on social media platforms, preventing young people from being recruited by these criminal networks.