It’s Midsummer! Here in Sweden, it’s an old (really old) national holiday, somewhat like the Christmas of the summer, with a bit of the same food but with no gifts. Some of you might be tired this weekend, and many of you might not celebrate it at all. Either way, here are some things to dig into this weekend. Three extensive reads that might not leave room for any rest, so choose wisely.
Europol flagship report, the TE-SAT (EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report), came out on Tuesday. The report covers a broad range of topics and has some fascinating findings that should be considered when assessing risk exposure, but equally to stay informed of the changing landscape. For example, the Covid situation has affected this area as with many other types of crimes. When it comes to Jihadi related terrorism, lone actors were the perpetrator of all deadly attacks. Rising extremist discourse online and on gaming platforms among the right-wing groups and supporters. New topics within the left-wing groups where scepticism against technology, science and covid actions have been added to agendas. There have also been attacks and against public and private properties. There are a lot of findings, so pick it up at the link and dig in. Link
UNODC released its yearly “World Drug Report” on Thursday. This Flagship report from the UN is heavy, and to be honest, I haven’t had that much time to dig into it myself yet. It is a report that I need to revert to on particular topic-specific reads due to size and complexity. But it is a report that is an authority for referencing when looking into drug-related trends and modus operandi. Link:
OCCRP has done a deep dive into Chinese Tobacco . I really enjoy the thematic studies that come out of OCCRP. You wake up one morning, sit down to look at the latest information harvest, and suddenly look at several in-depth studies, all at ones with a great scope from many contributors. The newest research on Chinese Tobacco was an eye-opener. It looks at the broad market reach of Chinese’s Tobacco, how it is run, sourced and produced and how it also ends up among criminal actors. Tobacco is a very lucrative commodity for criminal actors, generating large yields of illicit money through tax crimes and smuggling, and a bit safer than running drugs/guns. A big thank you to OCCRP and all contributors to the study… Great work! Keep it coming.
So, to all of you, have a great Midsummer, Sankt Hans, Inti Raymi, summer solstice, even if you don’t feel to urge to slurp down a herring or two.