Overview
- The National Crime Agency said on Thursday that eight people were arrested in the UK and eight suspected victims were safeguarded as part of 14 linked investigations.
- Europol’s Project Medusa has identified more than 150 perpetrators and victims, generated about 270 new leads and helped prompt dozens of arrests across multiple countries.
- Investigators say offenders used mainstream sites, invitation‑only forums and encrypted chat apps to share tips, trade sedatives and post images or videos that helped plan and normalise attacks.
- Police warn the true scale is unknown because many victims do not remember being drugged, which suppresses reporting and makes evidence harder to gather.
- The inquiry grew from reporting and prosecutions tied to the Gisele Pelicot case and will feed ongoing prosecutions and further cross‑border work, including a Stockport trial scheduled later in 2026.