Police from seven countries have identified 156 victims and suspects in an international operation targeting drug-facilitated sexual assaults.
Investigators focused on cases in which drugs are used to incapacitate someone to enable sexual assault — often referred to as DFSA — with much of the work linked to intimate-partner settings and misogynist online communities, Europol informed on Thursday.
The operation ran from 22 to 24 June after 29 investigators met at the UK National Crime Agency’s headquarters in London to work jointly on identifying victims, perpetrators and online groups.
It resulted in 274 new investigative leads and the identification of four misogynist online communitiesf.
Project Medusa and the investigations
The activity was carried out under Project Medusa, a collaboration launched in April 2026 and led by Germany and the United Kingdom, with participation from Brazil, Canada, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States and Europol.
Police forces involved included France’s Police Nationale, Germany’s BKA and LKA Hamburg, the Netherlands’ Politie, Spain’s Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil, Brazil’s Polícia Federal, the UK’s NCA and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Europol said, adding that investigations are ongoing.
Cases linked to Project Medusa have led to 57 arrests, 158 “safeguarded” victims and 113 investigations opened since the project began.
Investigators have found online networks in which suspected perpetrators use encrypted messaging services, forums and closed chat groups to share experiences and coordinate criminal acts, including the illegal trade in prescription medicines and narcotics.
Alongside alleged rape or sexual assault, some investigations are also looking at suspected offences including dangerous bodily harm and attempted murder.
