Europol dismantles online networks of men who drug and rape their partners; 57 arrested, 158 victims safeguarded
An international police operation named Project Medusa, coordinated by Europol, has identified 156 suspects and victims in the systematic drugging and sexual assault of women by their partners, with 57 arrests and 158 victims safeguarded so far.
The Medusa operation
A coordinated international police operation, launched in April 2026 and intensified in June, has for the first time systematically targeted online networks where men drug and sexually assault their own partners. Project Medusa, led by Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) together with the UK's National Crime Agency and coordinated by Europol, spanned nine countries: Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain and the United States. The action identified 156 suspected perpetrators and victims and generated 274 new investigative leads.
Since April, 57 men have been arrested and 158 victims brought to safety. In June, Dutch police detained four further suspects following intelligence from British and German colleagues. Four previously unknown online networks were discovered during the operation.
- Project Medusa launched to target online networks of drug-facilitated sexual assault.
- Coordinated action across nine countries intensifies; 274 new investigative leads generated.
- Four suspected perpetrators arrested in the Netherlands based on UK and German intelligence.
- Europol announces 156 suspects/victims identified, 57 arrests, and 158 victims safeguarded.
How the perpetrators operated
According to Europol, the suspects are predominantly men from the victims' immediate social circle. They sedate the women, usually their partners, with amateurish mixtures of painkillers, other medications and alcohol, a combination that can be life-threatening. The victims are then sexually assaulted, and the acts are filmed. The footage is shared in misogynist groups on social media, encrypted messengers and pornographic platforms, where perpetrators also exchange experiences, advice on procuring sedatives and dosage information.
Investigations have uncovered online networks where perpetrators objectify and dehumanize victims. They use encrypted messaging services, forums and closed chat groups to exchange experiences, normalize abusive behavior, facilitate the illegal trade in prescription medications and narcotics and coordinate criminal acts.
The BKA noted that many victims remain unaware they have been assaulted because the administered sedatives cause memory loss or prevent immediate physical recognition of the rape. Possible indicators include unusually long sleep, inexplicable grogginess, memory gaps or physical abnormalities.
Parallels to the Pelicot case
The crimes echo the case of Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman whose then-husband drugged her over nearly a decade and enabled dozens of men to rape her. Europol stated that the current findings demonstrate such offenses are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of organized and interconnected behavior. The networks' infrastructure allowed the systematic dehumanization of victims and the normalization of assault, much like the Pelicot case revealed.
Advice to potential victims
The BKA urged anyone suspecting they may have been a victim of drug-facilitated sexual assault to file a police report and consult a doctor promptly, as the sedative substances are detectable in urine or blood only for a short period. The investigation's ongoing efforts aim to dismantle the online infrastructure permanently and prevent further abuse.
