To stay ahead, law enforcement agencies need cutting-edge tools to track, analyse and dismantle these criminal networks.
About the project
The ARtificial IntelligencE in fighting illicit drugs production and traffickiNg (ARIEN) project is a groundbreaking Horizon Europe project that harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) to combat drug trafficking across the EU.
The ambitious, cutting-edge research initiative is designed to help bring together law enforcement agencies, researchers and technology experts across Europe in the fight against illegal drug production and trafficking.
In line with the EU Drugs Action Plan (2021 to 2025), ARIEN aims to build a real-time, intelligent picture of how drugs are produced, moved and sold across Europe.
How it works
The ARIEN project objective is to develop and create AI tools that law enforcement can use to tackle the illegal production, trafficking and supply of drugs.
Left to right: Detective Chief Inspector Seth Robinson, and Detective Inspector Lee Baragnawath, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit. Credit: UKRI
It is an EU-led consortium of around 18 organisations across nine different EU countries.
What makes ARIEN unique is its use of advanced AI tools to detect and track criminal activity at every stage of the drug supply chain.
This includes:
- monitoring financial transactions
- spotting trends on the dark web
- analysing how social media is being used for drug-related communication and sales
Beyond traditional policing methods
By combining AI with expert input from criminologists, legal scholars and social scientists, the project will map current criminal activity.
The project will also suggest new ways to improve cross-border cooperation and create more unified laws and strategies across the EU.
Seth Robinson, Detective Chief Inspector, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit and Head of Sensitive Equities, said:
The project has been crucial because it’s enabling us to really look beyond traditional policing methods, embracing artificial intelligence and enabling us to tackle crime whilst working in collaboration to enable operational effectiveness at the front line.
Key features
A key feature of the project is its use of explainable AI, which allows investigators to understand how the AI reaches its conclusions.
This transparency helps law enforcement act on the information with greater confidence.
ARIEN will also help authorities identify new threats, uncover emerging drug markets, and spot links to organised crime by cross-referencing online activity with criminal records.
Disrupting illegal networks
Ultimately, ARIEN’s goal is to empower law enforcement agencies, customs officers, and policymakers across the EU and beyond with smarter tools and better strategies for disrupting illegal drug networks.
By fostering international cooperation and promoting responsible use of data and technology, the project is setting a new standard in the fight against drug-related crime.
Lee Baragwanath, Detective Inspector, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said:
International collaboration is really important in fighting, especially the trafficking of drugs, because criminal groups don’t see borders, they just see opportunities.
Find out more
Watch our video on how AI is revolutionising the fight against drug trafficking (YouTube).
Top image: Credit: Ignatiev, E+ via Getty Images