fedpol and the Geneva Police join forces to investigate parcel bombs, bomb attacks and extorsion letters
In the spring of 2025, Geneva was hit by a series of threats and attacks. The incidents ranged from extorsion letters and ransom demands to an explosion in a letterbox, and an explosion in a residential area. A child and a man were injured.
The threats and attacks that rocked Geneva between August 2024 and March 2025 appear to share a common pattern. They were meticulously planned, carefully prepared, executed with considerable technical expertise, and designed to instil fear. When an explosive device detonated in the Grange-Canal residential neighbourhood of Geneva in August 2024, the case became a matter for the federal authorities due to the fact that the suspected offence involved explosives. Under the direction of the Office of the Attorney General of the Swiss Confederation, fedpol led the investigation in cooperation with the Geneva cantonal police.
The Federal Criminal Police (fedpol) put together a task force. A joint investigative unit was set up in Geneva, comprising specialists from the cantonal criminal investigation departments. The task force scrutinised every detail, analysing and examining thousands of leads from every angle. Some information led to a dead end; other times, the connections became clear. Every new detail – a recurring phrase in a threatening letter or materials used to build the explosive device – added another piece to the investigative puzzle.
The investigation was in full swing. Due to the ransom demands, experts who analyse digital payment methods were also part of the task force. In this crypto-tracing process, specialists from Europol and fedpol worked closely together. Specialists in negotiation, forensic investigations and digital analysis were also involved. The public and media professionals were eagerly awaiting answers.
Major police operation leads to arrest
A profile of the perpetrator began to take shape. On 12 March, a 61-year-old Swiss man was arrested. In light of the recent bomb attacks, fedpol’s operational command had to assume the worst. The arrest was made during a large-scale operation, for which several areas had to be evacuated. The operation was successful. During the subsequent searches, the officers found numerous items that corroborated the suspicions against the suspect.
The suspected perpetrator was put in pre-trial detention. For fedpol and the Office of the Attorney General of the Swiss Confederation, however, the work was not done. They still needed to look at the motive, personal circumstances and any other possible links, which were all part of the ongoing investigation. The presumption of innocence applies until a final judgment has been handed down.
For six months, fedpol, the Geneva cantonal police and the Office of the Attorney General of the Swiss Confederation worked side by side. They succeeded in creating a complete picture from the many individual pieces of the puzzle. For the public, this collaboration means one thing above all: greater safety. For the investigating partners, it is proof that close cooperation pays off.
“Fortunately, even with decades of experience, this case is an exception – investigating an active, dangerous serial offender brings with it a great deal of pressure. Around a hundred police officers were deployed during the operation. An investigation like this can only succeed if the federal government and the canton combine their strengths.”
Fabio, Head of Operations