Drugging, raping, and filming victims: Austria joins a large-scale international security operation
Austria is joining an international operation targeting networks in which men allegedly share information about secretly drugging women, sexually assaulting them and distributing recordings of the attacks online.
The country will participate in Project Medusa, coordinated by Europol, following criticism that Austria had previously remained outside the multinational investigation. The operation focuses on networks involved in what is known as “chemical submission,” where drugs or medication are allegedly used to impair victims’ awareness and ability to resist.
An operation carried out in June under Project Medusa identified 156 people believed to be potential victims or suspects, according to Europol. The wider investigation began after two journalists from Germany’s public broadcaster NDR uncovered online groups where men exchanged information about drugging women and sexually assaulting them.
Austria’s Bundeskriminalamt (Federal Criminal Police Office) confirmed that the country is preparing to participate in Project Medusa. Director Andreas Holzer said Austria’s involvement will allow its authorities to exchange information and investigative expertise with police forces in other countries.
Authorities said the investigation currently does not include any cases directly connected to Austria. Nevertheless, Austrian police decided to participate proactively because of the seriousness of the crimes and the potential for international networks to operate across borders.
The decision comes as Austria is already dealing with similar cases. In Tirol, a 44-year-old man is in pre-trial detention after prosecutors allegedly accused him of drugging his partner and sexually assaulting her several times. Investigators also suspect that a former partner may have been affected.
In Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), a 43-year-old man received a final seven-year prison sentence last year after being convicted of secretly drugging his partner with sleeping medication and sexually assaulting her in 2014.