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] AI crime solving tools are being adopted at an accelerating pace by police agencies across the United States, with results that can be dramatic but that experts and civil liberties advocates say come with serious risks of false leads, wrongful investigations, and violations of due process. MEXC
• [New] Deepfakes are reaching U.S. courtrooms and raising the risk of fabricated evidence influencing criminal cases. Forensic Focus
• [New] The U.S. homeland faces at least three current threats: an attack by ballistic and cruise missiles, terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction, and electronic-cyber attacks against critical infrastructure. The Heritage Foundation
• [New] Within days of the U.S.-Israeli strikes, an Iranian drone hit a UK Royal Air Force base in Cyprus, prompting coordinated European deployments; NATO intercepted missiles over Turkey, while European officials warned of rising terrorism risks and renewed refugee pressures. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• [New] Top concerns for the U.S. are transnational organised crime, illicit drug trafficking, migration, the threat of Islamist ideology and terrorism, major power competition, and WMD threats - concerns the NSS does not prioritise. The Friday Times
• [New] Retail theft has become a growing concern across the United States, but in 2026 many businesses are responding with new technology designed to prevent crime without increasing fear. RHS Hawk Eye
• [New] The escalation linked to the Iran conflict is raising the terrorist risk, particularly for Israeli, Jewish, and American interests. The Media Line
• [New] Growth outlook reflects structural expansion in global air passenger traffic and maritime trade volumes, which increases exposure to terrorism, transnational crime, cyber intrusion, and smuggling risks. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to attack Oracle and 17 other U.S. companies after accusing them of being involved in terrorist espionage operations in Iran. KSAT San Antonio
• [New] Another threat to the Panama Canal is maritime crime and smuggling activities in the Darien Gap. All About Shipping
• [New] While the ideological differences would still prevent close collaboration toward political goals, a more hardline regime could be open to weaponising al-Qaeda as part of its terrorist network and potentially provide the terrorist group with materials for dirty bombs. International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - ICCT
• [New] Police in Thuringen, Germany will now be catching crooks using a specially trained jetpack-wearing chicken. Yahoo Entertainment
• [New] Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service need new tools to investigate national security threats and organized crime because existing laws have not kept pace with changes in technology and court rulings. CityNews Toronto
• [New] In the 2026 Global Anti-Financial Crime Threats report from ACAMS, a certification and intelligence provider for the anti-financial crime community, 75% of anti-financial-crime professionals said the malicious use of generative AI poses a high or very high risk to their programs. The Financial Revolutionist
• [New] More interconnected devices: The Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to march onward in 2026, with more internet-connected devices deployed by police departments, fire departments and rescue teams to gather data, assess threats and drive response efficiency. Motorola Solutions Blog
• [New] The future of policing in the United States will likely involve a combination of technology, community engagement, and policy reforms. legalframewire.com
• [New] The FCDO's protocol guidance makes clear that where UK police protective security is provided, accompanying foreign protection officers are expected to operate in a liaison role under Metropolitan Police direction. MSB Protection
• [New] Over the next three to five years, INTERPOL expects a sharp escalation in transnational fraud, driven by artificial intelligence, low-cost digital tools, and increased global criminal collaboration. The Cipher Brief
• [New] HSBC achieved a 60% reduction in false alerts and a fourfold increase in identified financial crime by implementing a dynamic risk assessment platform that prioritizes high-value threats over traditional rule-based alerts. Kroll

Last updated: 18 April 2026