Europol has today issued an intelligence notification on the recruitment of minors by criminal networks across Europe. Developed using information contributed to Europol from law enforcement authorities, the notification exposes how criminal organisations target young people via social media and encrypted messaging to recruit them to commit acts of serious organised crime.

Data gathered from recent investigations shows that minors are involved in almost all criminal markets.

While the recruitment of minors into serious organised crime and terrorism is not new, in recent years it has evolved into a deliberate tactic by criminal networks to evade detection, arrest, or prosecution. The practice has expanded across multiple countries and recruitment methods have shifted, with minors increasingly tasked with violent activities including extortion and murder.

Europol’s notification warns that criminal networks now commonly exploit minors by using coded messaging, slang, and even ‘gamification’ tactics to frame criminal tasks as challenges or games. These techniques are designed to draw young people into criminal activity, often making it appear financially attractive or socially rewarding. 

Social media platforms with encrypted messaging feature are abused by criminals so that they can operate with minimal visibility, enabling interactions that leave no digital trace and therefore reducing the risk of detection.