Germany to deploy AI in crackdown on organised crime, money laundering

Germany plans to overhaul its main security authorities and integrate artificial intelligence into efforts to combat organised crime, financial offences, money laundering, and drug-related cases, statements from the ministries of finance, interior, and justice said.

The initiative aims to modernize the Federal Criminal Police (BKA), customs authorities, and other agencies by expanding legal and technical capabilities and increasing personnel, Reuters reports.

Organised crime remains one of Germany’s most pressing internal security threats, causing an estimated €2.64 billion ($3.1 billion) in economic damage in 2024, the BKA reported.

Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said, “We are ensuring that the investigating authorities hit the perpetrators where it hurts most: their money.” He added that the plan will enable faster confiscation of assets from illicit sources, including cash, luxury cars, and real estate.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt outlined plans to bolster the BKA with additional staff, expanded powers, and enforcement authority. The strategy also calls for joint data analysis centers and investigative teams combining customs and BKA resources to more effectively tackle money laundering and narcotics cases.

Klingbeil highlighted the role of AI, saying customs and the BKA will be able to access each other’s data and leverage artificial intelligence to identify perpetrators and sift through large volumes of information.

While local police handle routine policing and most criminal investigations within Germany’s 16 federal states, federal authorities are responsible for border, rail, and aviation security. The BKA serves as Germany’s central investigative agency, focusing on serious and organised crime with national and transnational reach, often coordinating cases that cross state or international borders.

Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig stressed the importance of cracking down on organised crime, saying it “undermines trust in the rule of law and must not be allowed to pay off. Perpetrators should be swiftly identified, prosecuted, and punished.”

In 2024, the BKA reported that illegal drug trafficking accounted for 40% of organised crime proceedings—259 out of 650 cases—while money laundering was involved in 146 cases, totaling approximately €230 million.

By Vafa Guliyeva