Global Scans · Crime · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Crime is morphing away from traditional methods to more sophisticated technological approaches. A decline of traditional hierarchical criminal groups and networks will be accompanied by the expansion of a virtual criminal underground made up of individual criminal entrepreneurs. At the same time, forward-looking agencies are equipping themselves with smart technologies to outfox the criminals. Keep up to date with crime changes below.

• [New] The Metropolitan police is ramping up its use of technology to combat crime, announcing that drones will now be integrated into 999 calls responses, providing live, aerial footage and real-time footage before officers arrive on scene. FTI Strategic Communications
• [New] Police officers from all 11 US host cities have undergone specialized counter-drone training covering drone identification, detection equipment, coordinated response procedures, and techniques for protecting spectators while minimizing disruptions. DroneDJ
• [New] CCROs, announced by the UK government as part of planned reforms to the Computer Misuse Act, are designed to let police and courts place restrictions on people considered high risk before they carry out further serious breaches. BBC News
• [New] Criminal gangs in Berlin are increasingly flying in perpetrators to commit threats, assault, or extortion. Prepare for Change
• [New] The big names in the VPN and privacy industry are threatening to pull out of Canada over Bill C-22, the lawful access bill which would force service providers to retain user metadata for up to a year and build in ways for police and C-Sys to access it. podscripts
• [New] U.S. authorities issued a blunt warning: any unauthorized drone flying over stadiums, fan zones, or restricted World Cup areas will be considered a potential terrorist threat and immediately neutralized. AS USA
• [New] The terrorist threat posed by Iran's regime in Europe has been repeatedly raised by European countries over the years. NCRI
• [New] Bangkok - The Thai government has unveiled a new security strategy aimed at strengthening protection for Thai citizens and foreign visitors, while stepping up action against transnational crime, call-centre gangs, human trafficking networks, and online cyber threats. Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)
• [New] 62.7% of firms plan to increase RegTech spending in 2026, underlining the growing strategic importance of compliance technology as institutions face mounting regulatory pressure, rising financial crime threats, expanding operational complexity and rapid technological change. FinTech Global
• [New] By 2032, the future of policing could feature humanoids as trusted partners, working alongside officers, improving efficiency and helping communities feel both safe and connected. Police1
• [New] State-linked operations - primarily by Iran and Russia and often termed hybrid threats - have at times amounted to acts of terrorism and have simultaneously helped to foster the conditions from which violence emerges by attempting to disrupt societal cohesion. The Soufan Center
• [New] A projected $1.7 million budget shortfall and a shortage of field-training officers could force the Seattle Police Department to cut costs or reduce recruiting. South Seattle Emerald
• [New] The terrorist threat landscape in Europe has noticeably evolved since the height of mass casualty external operations by Salafi-jihadi groups like al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The Soufan Center
• [New] The UK regulator's first external horizon scan sets out how AI, synthetic crime and programmable finance could reshape financial services by 2030. Finance Magnates
• [New] In addition to a new law enforcement agency, Canada will ban cryptocurrency ATMs, which officials say have been used by scammers to defraud victims and by criminals to launder the proceeds of crime. The Guardian
• [New] Haiti remains a center of humanitarian, logistical, and criminal risk. Leading Through Cris
• [New] The EU shares the priority of combating transnational organised crime and drug trafficking, which pose a significant security threat worldwide. EEAS

Last updated: 04 July 2026