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Switzerland is increasingly affected by organized crime. To counter this growing threat, the country must adopt a national strategy by the end of 2026. According to the head of the Federal Office of Police (fedpol), Eva Wildi-Cortés, this change is "essential" if Switzerland is to continue to effectively combat criminal networks...
Criminal networks are alarming Swiss intelligence and security forces, while by 2026, a new national strategy against organized crime and the mafia will be adopted.
According to Interpol, there are 800 criminal organizations active in Europe.
"Most of them also operate in Switzerland. We are talking about the Balkan mafia, the Albanian mafia, the Nigerian brotherhoods, the Moroccan mafia, the Italian mafia. There are also Turkish, Chinese and Dutch criminal organizations," Wildi-Cortés told Swiss public television, RTS.
The increase in criminal activity, according to swissinfo.ch, has led the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service to raise the threat level for organized crime from 3 to 5 (on a 6-point scale) over the past two years.
The alarm being raised by Swiss intelligence is that various businesses are being used for money laundering.
"The mafia is on our streets. It's quite obvious: we're talking about barbershops, hair salons, kebab shops and pizzerias, which are used for money laundering," is the alarm issued by the federal service.
Why Switzerland is attractive to criminal networks
Switzerland's geographical location, political stability, and strong financial sector make it a favorable hub for criminal groups involved in money laundering, drug and arms trafficking, and human trafficking.
"We are at the center of Europe, with a financial center and a stable political system. As a people, this is what we value, but it is also what criminal organizations value," says Wildi-Cortés, who succeeded Nicoletta della Valle at the beginning of 2025.
Towards a national strategy
Given this situation, cantonal justice and police chiefs met in late December to discuss a national strategy to combat organized crime. The plan is expected to be presented by the end of the year, once it is approved by the Swiss government.
The cantons have welcomed this move, noting their growing concerns about internal security. For many cantonal leaders, it is essential that the government commit sufficient resources, particularly financial, to addressing the multiple levels of organized crime.
Wildi-Cortés warns that the strong mafia presence in Switzerland significantly increases the risk of violence. "I am convinced that this poses a danger to society, to the rule of law and to democracy," she says.
Minister of Justice, Beat Jans, while presenting parts of the strategy against organized crime at the end of 2025, said that legal adjustments should be made to simplify the detection and prosecution of money laundering, as well as the freezing and confiscation of suspicious assets.
"Currently we are far from being able to follow up on all leads related to money laundering because we lack the resources. We want to create the necessary resources here," Jans said.
Also, legislative adjustments are planned in the field of criminal prosecution to enable simpler and faster sanctioning of criminal behavior by organized crime gangs.
The strategy will be implemented through a National Action Plan (NAP), which will be developed by the end of 2026.
The measures requiring legislative changes will be included in a legislative package and are expected to be available as a consultation draft by the end of 2027.
Non-legislative measures, such as employee training, will be implemented throughout 2026 and beyond.
Poor cantonal cooperation
The future strategy will be built around several pillars, including prevention, repression and international cooperation. “The aim is to strengthen the legal basis for fighting organised crime more effectively, but also to allocate more tools and resources,” Wildi-Cortés said.
A key element, which has been strongly requested by the cantons, is greater legislative flexibility to accelerate the exchange of data between cantonal police forces.
Wildi-Cortés describes this as "fundamental", calling the current situation "a real weak point" in Switzerland's ability to fight organised crime. / Pamphlet /
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