Tackling Violence-as-a-Service: Insights from Europol’s Operational Taskforce GRIMM

The rise of “violence-as-a-service” (VaaS) has emerged as a disturbing trend in the landscape of organized crime, where violent acts—ranging from threats and assaults to contract killings—are outsourced to criminal service providers. Europol’s Operational Taskforce GRIMM, launched in April 2025, is a coordinated international response to this growing threat, with a particular focus on the recruitment of young individuals into serious and organized crime networks.

Led initially by the Swedish Police and coordinated by the European Serious and Organised Crime Centre (ESOCC), the taskforce brings together law enforcement agencies from 11 countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Their joint mission is to disrupt VaaS networks by sharing intelligence, conducting joint investigations, and mapping the recruitment and monetization strategies used by these criminal enterprises.

A key concern addressed by OTF GRIMM is the strategic recruitment of minors through encrypted messaging apps, gaming platforms, and social media. These platforms are exploited to lure young people with promises of money, status, or belonging—often using coded language, memes, and gamified tasks. The recruitment process typically involves four roles: the instigator, recruiter, enabler, and perpetrator, with the latter often being an inexperienced youth disconnected from the core criminal group.

The taskforce also emphasizes collaboration with technology companies to detect and prevent recruitment efforts online. By combining operational coordination with advanced data analysis, OTF GRIMM aims to dismantle the infrastructure that enables violence-on-demand and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.

This initiative underscores the importance of cross-border cooperation and digital vigilance in addressing the evolving tactics of organized crime in the digital age.

Author(s): Asa Granstrom, Swedish Police Authority

Webistes: Europol – Operational Taskforce GRIMM