Editorial

The most serious crime don’t stop at the border – our cooperation should be no different

2 March 2024, Zurich: A teenager stabs a Jewish man in the street in Zurich, critically wounding him. The Islamic State, which had called for attacks in Europe at the end of 2023, immediately claims responsibility for the attack. The investigation shows that the young man had become radicalised online within a very short period of time – a worrying phenomenon that we and our partners are increasingly observing among young people across Europe.

Radicalisation can take weeks or a few months, driven by social networks and digital echo chambers. The response requires not only criminal investigation work but, first and foremost, prevention. The National Action Plan (NAP) against radicalisation, for example, was launched in 2017 for this purpose. The current third version of the plan focuses on preventing radicalisation among young people.

The digital domain: a hotbed of radicalisation and a toolbox for criminals. New cybercrime phenomena such as real-time phishing or the criminal misuse of cryptocurrencies to finance terrorism place great strain on the police. When perpetrators access data in real time and misdirect financial transactions into their own pockets or use cryptocurrencies to finance criminal networks, their actions occur in the virtual realm. However, the consequences of these actions are felt in the real world: the victims are not bits and pixels, but people.

fedpol responds not only by investigating such incidents, but also by taking preventive action, working with partners internationally and exchanging information and knowledge. fedpol still has to fight crime in the real world, but it needs the right tools to track it down in the virtual world.

Organised crime today is networked, flexible and relies on the division of labour. With the help of data from the encrypted messenger service Sky ECC, fedpol is uncovering extensive fraud and money laundering networks that operate across borders. These findings directly inform large-scale investigations – leading to arrests in the real world.

Security and freedom: two sides of the same coin. Without security, there is no freedom, and without freedom, there is no security. This balancing act requires a clear strategy, combining knowledge, cooperation and trust. The most dangerous criminals operate as global networks connected, and the police must do the same. More now than ever.

‘The most dangerous criminals operate as global networks, and the police must do the same.’

In early 2025, director Nicoletta della Valle bade farewell to fedpol and made way for her successor, Eva Wildi-Cortés. ‘It has been my privilege to lead fedpol and serve Switzerland for over ten years. During this time, fedpol has undergone fundamental changes. Once seen as plodding, fedpol has evolved into a key hub for national and international efforts to fight crime and ensure security. Cooperation with the cantons and international partners has intensified, digitalisation has brought new opportunities and specialised teams exchange knowledge worldwide. This transformation is not always easy and demands a great deal of commitment from everyone. However, the process has brought fedpol to where it is today: a modern, networked federal police force that greatly contributes to our country’s security.’

Now it is up to the new director, Eva Wildi-Cortés, to forge ahead along this path. Nicoletta della Valle: ‘I wish her every success and the strength to make the decisions that a fedpol director has to make. The challenges for fedpol have not diminished. I am convinced that Eva Wildi-Cortés and fedpol will overcome them, relying on a solid foundation, a committed team and strong partners – with courage, foresight and a clear view of what lies ahead.’

And what about 2024? You can read about it in our annual report:

The arrest of ATM bombers. The proscription of Hamas. The relative of a person in Switzerland is abducted on a migration route and held for ransom. The global Operation JACKAL against Nigerian organised crime. Chechen people smugglers running operations through Switzerland. An international crackdown on paedophile rings. The Ukraine Conference on the Bürgenstock. The Olympic Games in Paris. Or a key feature that enables forged documents to be detected.

These and many other cases from 2024 can be found in our annual report. We wish you an exciting read!