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4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 APRIL 2024 NEWS NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt FOR SALE QUAD BIKE BOMBARDIER 650CC (2006). My black and yellow beautiful almost immaculate, always serviced quad is, with a heavy heart for sale. She is licensed till October 2024 and road ready. It's now time for someone else to enjoy. Annual road is €259. Asking price is €4500. Call or WhatsApp on 79990807. ITALIAN mafia-style and Georgian homogenous crim- inal networks are some of the most dangerous crime groups with a presence in Malta, ac- cording to a new Europol re- port. The comprehensive report from European law enforce- ment agencies has shed light on the growing presence of in- ternational criminal networks in the European Union, includ- ing Malta. The findings show that Ital- ian mafia-style syndicates and Georgian homogenous crimi- nal groups have a presence in Malta, with the criminal activ- ities ranging from drug traf- ficking to organised property crime. Italian mafia-style organi- sations, traditionally associ- ated with Italian leadership, have significantly expanded their operations beyond Ita- ly, infiltrating more than 45 countries worldwide. Within the EU, these organisations have a broad reach, mainly in Belgium, Germany, the Neth- erlands, Malta, Romania and Spain. These Italian criminal net- works also have a presence beyond Europe, particularly in Colombia, Switzerland and the United States. Their main activities are drug trafficking of cocaine, cannabis and hero- in; extortion and racketeering, waste trafficking, tobacco ex- cise fraud and money launder- ing. Georgian homogenous crimi- nal networks have also expand- ed into Malta as part of their organised property crime op- erations, specialising in burgla- ries and robberies. This crimi- nal activity is part of a broader trend affecting other European countries such as Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. Malta stands out as one of the most affected countries by property crimes committed by these international networks, alongside France, Italy, Por- tugal, and Spain. The criminal groups identified within these networks operate as clan or family-based mobile organ- ized crime groups (MOCGs) or Thieves in Law, exercising complete control over their il- licit enterprises. Europol report reveals Italian, From drug trafficking to property crime, Italian mafia and Georgian criminal networks are some of the most dangerous crime groups in Europe with a presence in Malta SIX people were killed and sever- al others, including a baby, are in a critical condition, after a mass stabbing at a shopping centre near Bondi Beach in Sydney on Satur- day. The man who is thought to be responsible for the attack was shot dead by police at the scene, NSW Police have confirmed. Police told a press conference that a lone female police inspector who was nearby had rushed to the shopping centre after hearing of the multiple stabbings, shooting the perpetrator dead. Emergency responders were dispatched to the Westfield Bon- di Junction Shopping Centre at around 3.45pm local time on Saturday, evacuating hundreds of people from the Westfield shop- ping mall in Sydney during the incident. Assistant Commissioner Antho- ny Cooke told a local news station how the attacker was shot dead while trying to attack a police of- ficer. "She confronted the offend- er who had moved by this stage to level five as she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him. He turned, faced her [and] raised a knife. She dis- charged a firearm and that person is now deceased." Preliminary inquiries indicate that the attacker, who is yet to be identified, was acting alone. Six dead, several wounded in Sydney knife attack A CCTV still showing the attacker