Between 27 and 30 April 2026, the CyberSEE joint project of the European Union and the Council of Europe supported the Albanian State Police in organising their first activity as co-leaders of the Operational Action 6.2 under EMPACT policy cycle, in co-operation with the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C). The workshop on Dark Web Investigation in Podgorica, Montenegro brought together law enforcement representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia,
Over four days, participants engaged in hands-on exercises, covering Operations Security (OPSEC), Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) fundamentals, social media investigations, judicial reporting, dark web architecture, passive infiltration techniques, marketplace analysis, and cryptocurrency tracking basics, culminating in a cross-border tabletop case simulation.
This joint effort also enabled participants to strengthen regional co-operation, share field experiences, and reinforce professional trust for coordinated actions. The initiative fosters investigators’ ability to translate digital traces and operational mistakes into actionable intelligence. Cryptocurrency investigations, ransomware-related cybercrime, and the utilisation of artificial intelligence were identified as priority areas for future training.
The CyberSEE project remains committed to supporting the region’s law enforcement institutions in responding to evolving cyber-enabled threats, including capacity building activities in line with the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) and its Second Additional Protocol, providing structured methodologies for tackling complex cybercrime cases.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
**the news item was translated by DeepL
