Criminal organizations are increasingly “weaponizing children,” manipulating them through multiplayer video games and smartphones while parents often remain unaware of what’s happening, according to Europol chief Catherine De Bolle.
She says these networks currently represent the most serious criminal threat to the European Union, as they undermine society by targeting children and tearing families apart.
“Children are being used as instruments for torture and murder. This is no longer about petty crime — these are major offenses,” De Bolle stressed.
She described one of the most shocking cases: a young boy was coerced into killing his younger sister — and carried out the act. Children and teenagers, she added, are also being used as unwitting spies to listen in on communications near sensitive government sites.
From Gaming Chats to Grooming
The recruitment process often begins inside chat rooms of multiplayer games. Criminals first discuss harmless topics — pets, school, family. Then they move to private channels, coaxing children into revealing personal details.
Once they obtain an address or other sensitive information, they begin to pressure or blackmail the child into violent acts — from self-harm to murder. Europol has documented 105 cases in which minors carried out violent crimes “as a service,” including 10 contract killings.
If a child refuses, criminals retaliate to demonstrate their reach — for example, by killing a family pet to show they know where the child lives and are willing to go further.
Money is another lure: minors may be offered up to $20,000 for a killing, though many never receive payment. And it’s not only vulnerable children who are at risk — even well-adjusted teenagers may be tempted by expensive sneakers or gadgets.
Children in Hybrid Warfare
According to De Bolle, young people are also being exploited by hybrid threat actors — for example, to eavesdrop near strategic buildings.
Once police arrest a child, the criminals immediately cut ties and begin grooming a new recruit. “Parents often blame themselves. They don’t understand how this could happen,” De Bolle said. She stresses the need for open conversations about online dangers.
New Criminal Tactics: Drugs and AI
Two other trends are becoming increasingly alarming:
1. Drug trafficking via semi-submersible vessels.
Cocaine is now being shipped from South America to Europe in narco-submarines. Off Europe’s North Atlantic coast, speedboats meet these vessels and ferry the cargo inland.
2. Explosive growth in AI-driven online fraud.
Artificial intelligence has made criminals “a thousand times more efficient”: phishing emails are nearly indistinguishable from legitimate messages, and romance scams are booming thanks to deepfakes and voice cloning.
“Technology still cannot reliably distinguish fakes from genuine images or audio,” De Bolle noted.
The Need for Access to Encrypted Data
De Bolle argues that law enforcement must have access to encrypted communications when authorized by a judge. Without it, she warns, authorities will be “blind” in the face of rapidly evolving criminal networks.