 The career of Director Ratzel started in the Bundeskriminalamt (Federal Criminal Police Office, Wiesbaden, Germany) in 1976, as the Head of the Organised and General Crime Department.His unit which was specialised in combating child pornography, Internet crime, counterfeit money and human trafficking, had over 850 police officers under his supervision.On February 24, 2005, the Justice and Home Affairs Council selected Director Ratzel as the successor of Director Storbeck as the General Director of Europol.