Austrian authorities said Thursday they dismantled an international criminal network specialized in blowing up and robbing ATMs, arresting 14 suspects, most of them Dutch nationals of Moroccan origin, in a joint operation with the Netherlands and Germany.
The Federal Criminal Police Office (BK) reported that since the start of 2025, Austria has seen more than 26 ATM attacks, 12 of which failed. Investigations identified over 24 suspects, leading to 14 arrests and 12 house searches across Austria and the Netherlands. Officers seized 16 motorbikes, mobile phones, narcotics, explosives, and about €39,000 in cash.
Andreas Holzer, head of the BK, said the coordinated probe achieved “remarkable successes in a short time, but this is only the beginning,” vowing to continue cracking down on what he called a dangerous form of organized crime.
Vienna’s chief prosecutor, Nina Bussek, said that since October 2024, prosecutors have issued more than 100 orders in connection with the case, including around 40 wiretap authorizations, alongside multiple seizures and arrests. Large volumes of DNA evidence have also been collected and analyzed, she added.
The BK said Austria created a special task force to investigate the wave of ATM explosions, which typically involved homemade explosive charges detonated remotely with cables, followed by quick getaways using vehicles that were often burned afterward.
Gerhard Winkler, head of investigations at Vienna’s criminal police, stressed that success came from “the combination of meticulous traditional investigative work and close coordination between local and international investigators, supported by strong cooperation with the Vienna prosecutor’s office.”
The suspects are believed to be linked to the so-called “Mocro Maffia,” a Dutch-based criminal network with North African roots that has been tied to drug trafficking and violent crime in Europe, Austrian police said.
Investigations into the gang’s organizational structure are ongoing.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.