Category: Intelligence

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Eliminating violence against women: a commitment to pursuing justice

Source: Interpol (news and events)

26 November 2024

UNITED NATIONS, New York – In an address to the UN General Assembly, INTERPOL’s Special Representative to the United Nations, Roraima Andriani, has underscored the Organization’s commitment to combatting crimes against women and to pursuing justice on their behalf. 

Speaking on the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, she highlighted INTERPOL’s efforts to dismantle the networks that profit from crimes such as human trafficking, sexual and other types of exploitation which disproportionately affect women and girls.

, INTERPOL’s Special Representative to the United Nations, Roraima Andriani

INTERPOL’s Special Representative to the United Nations, Roraima Andriani

Special Representative Andriani said:

“Violence against women takes many forms – physical, emotional, financial, and increasingly, digital. Reporting abuse demands extraordinary courage, and many women struggle to take that step. We have a duty to support those who do, ensuring their safety, protection, and recovery.

INTERPOL’s Special Representative shared the story of Rita Roberts, a young woman whose body was found in Belgium in 1992. She had been violently murdered and remained unidentified for 31 years.

Thanks to INTERPOL’s Identify Me campaign, an international public appeal for information led to a tip from the United Kingdom that restored the victim’s identity, giving her family answers and renewing hope for justice.

Identify Me aims to identify and return unknown deceased women to their families, highlighting the issue of missing and murdered women and girls who are disproportionately represented amongst unidentified deceased persons.

According to the UN, one in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.

INTERPOL’s work to help protect vulnerable communities worldwide – particularly in the areas of human trafficking and sexual exploitation – directly supports the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by addressing violence against women and girls.

Its activities promoting global policing goals, law enforcement cooperation, and victim-centered investigations are driven by a gender equality perspective.

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Violent Albanian criminal group linked to corruption disrupted via SKY ECC analysis

Source: Europol

The operation, supported by Europol, was launched after the analysis of encrypted communications from the SKY ECC communication platform revealed extensive evidence of corrupt practices, including organised and serious crimes. The suspects are alleged to have played key roles in enabling and shielding the activities of a violent Albanian criminal group importing cocaine from South America to Europe. The proceeds…

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Major cybercrime operation nets 1,006 suspects

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – Authorities across 19 African countries have arrested 1,006 suspects and dismantled 134,089 malicious infrastructures and networks thanks to a joint operation by INTERPOL and AFRIPOL against cybercrime.

Operation Serengeti (2 September – 31 October) targeted criminals behind ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion and online scams – all identified as prominent threats in the 2024 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report.

More than 35,000 victims were identified during the operation, with cases linked to nearly USD 193 million in financial losses worldwide.

Information provided by participating countries of ongoing cases with INTERPOL fed into 65 Cyber Analytical Reports that were produced to ensure actions on the ground were intelligence-led and focused on the most significant actors.

Results of Operation Serengeti

Private sector partners, including Internet Service Providers, also played a vital role by sharing intelligence, supporting analysis and disrupting criminal activities. They provided on-site support and offered round-the-clock remote assistance to patch vulnerabilities and secure critical infrastructure for the participating member countries.

Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL, said:

“From multi-level marketing scams to credit card fraud on an industrial scale, the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks is of serious concern.

“Operation Serengeti shows what we can achieve by working together, and these arrests alone will save countless potential future victims from real personal and financial pain. We know that this is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will continue targeting these criminal groups worldwide.”

Ambassador Jalel Chelba, AFRIPOL’s Executive Director said:

“Through Serengeti, AFRIPOL has significantly enhanced support for law enforcement in African Union Member States. We’ve facilitated key arrests and deepened insights into cybercrime trends. Our focus now includes emerging threats like AI-driven malware and advanced attack techniques.”

National case studies

In Kenya, officers cracked a case of online credit card fraud linked to losses of USD 8.6 million. The funds, stolen through fraudulent scripts run after altering the banking system’s security protocol, were promptly redistributed by the group via SWIFT to companies in the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria and China and subsequently, to digital asset institutions offering trading and financial services regulated in multiple jurisdictions. Nearly two dozen arrests have been made so far.

Eight people, including five Chinese nationals, were arrested in Senegal for a USD 6 million online Ponzi scheme affecting 1,811 victims. A search of their apartment uncovered over 900 SIM cards, USD 11,000 in cash, phones, laptops, and copies of victims’ ID cards.

Nigerian authorities arrested a man accused of running online investment scams. He is believed to have made upwards of USD 300,000 by luring victims through messaging platforms with false promises of cryptocurrency returns.

Suspects detained during raid in Angola.

Multiple phones recovered as part of evidence.

Items recovered in Cameroon

Sim cards used by suspects in scam centre.

Mobile phones recovered in Senegal.

Sim cards suspected to be used in scams recovered.

In Cameroon, authorities arrested a group suspected of trafficking victims from seven different countries to run a multi-level marketing scam. After paying a “membership fee”, victims were promised employment opportunities or training but once in Cameroon, they were held captive and obliged to lure others into the scheme to gain their freedom. Initial estimates show that the group had already pocketed at least USD 150,000 in fees.

Angolan investigators dismantled an international criminal group running a virtual casino in Luanda. The group, which primarily targeted Brazilian and Nigerian gamblers, defrauded hundreds through its online platform, offering a percentage of winnings to members who recruited new subscribers. Some 150 arrests were made, with officers seizing 200 computers and more than 100 mobile phones.

Operation Serengeti was carried out with funding of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Council of Europe.

Notes to editors

Participating countries:

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Operational partners:

Cybercrime Atlas, Fortinet, Group-IB, Kaspersky, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, Uppsala Security

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NATO Secretary General praises Greece for its crucial role in supporting collective defence

Source: NATO

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday (26 November 2024) to discuss security challenges, support to Ukraine, and Greece’s “crucial role” in supporting NATO’s collective defence.

Mr Rutte welcomed the fact that Greece invests 3 percent of its GDP in defence saying it had “long made security a priority”. He also commended the country for its “highly skilled military and increasingly advanced capabilities” and its efforts to modernise them further.

The Secretary General thanked Greece for its support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia aggression. Just last month, Athens signed a bilateral security agreement with Kyiv and announced it will accelerate F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots and technicians “strengthening their hand in this brutal war”. “Our support for Ukraine has kept them in the fight, but we need to go further to change the trajectory of this conflict,” the Secretary General added.

Mr Rutte underlined that Russia’s use of North Korean weapons and troops, Iranian drones and Chinese dual-use goods contributed to an “increasingly dangerous” security environment and represented a “challenge to global peace and security”.

During his visit to Athens the Secretary General also met the Greek Minister of National Defence Nikolaos Dendias and Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis.

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NATO parliamentarians working to keep the Alliance strong

Source: NATO

Members of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly (NPA) gathered in Montreal to discuss key challenges to Alliance security and NATO’s essential role in addressing them. On Monday (25 November 2024), the NATO Secretary General addressed the NPA’s 70th Annual Session via video message and NATO’s acting Deputy Secretary General, Boris Ruge, addressed the NPA in person.

The Secretary General underlined the NPA’s crucial role in strengthening NATO’s defences, supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and addressing global challenges to Euro-Atlantic security, including through cooperation with partners. 

Mr Rutte reiterated NATO’s commitment to strengthening deterrence and defence in a more dangerous and competitive world. “Allies are spending more on defence,” he said, adding that “we must make our deterrence and defence even stronger. The more we spend on defence, the more we reduce the risk of future conflict”. He urged lawmakers to support this investment, highlighting that “we have a duty to ensure we protect our nations, people and values, and security does not come for free”.

Rutte’s acting Deputy, Boris Ruge, was in Montreal for the meeting and answered questions from parliamentarians during their plenary session. He underscored the importance of continuing the support that NATO and Allies are providing to Ukraine, the urgency of increased defence spending as well as the vital role the members of the NPA play in terms of making the case for stronger deterrence and defence.

During his visit to Canada, Mr Ruge also ​participated in the 16th Annual Halifax International Security Forum, where he addressed the importance of maintaining a strong transatlantic bond and the urgency of ramping up defence industrial production. He held bilateral meetings with a range of interlocutors, notably the Speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, and Members of the US Congress.

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Firearms trafficker supplying contract killers arrested in cross-border operation

Source: Europol

The man was arrested in Poland while transporting weapon kits that he had purchased in Austria. A subsequent search of the suspect’s home and a nearby forest carried out by Polish investigators uncovered dozens of illegally-held weapons including pistols, rifles, revolvers and automatic weapons such as Škorpions, as well as over 80 essential weapon parts and more than 20 000…

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Readout of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s Phone Call with Qatar’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Jassim Al Mannai

Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

November 25, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., spoke with Qatar’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Jassim Al Mannai today by phone.

Gen. Brown and Lt. Gen. Al Mannai discussed the U.S.-Qatar strategic partnership and opportunities to enhance interoperability between militaries. The military leaders also exchanged views regarding the Hamas and Hezbollah ceasefire negotiations, and the ongoing threat posed to international shipping in the Red Sea by the Houthi movement.

Additionally, Gen. Brown congratulated Lt. Gen. Al Mannai on his recent promotion and appointment as chief of staff of the Qatari armed forces.

The U.S. and Qatar share a vital relationship as key partners committed to stability and security in the Middle East region.

For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
Connect with the Joint Staff on social media: 
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LinkedIn and Flickr.

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NATO and Tunisia strengthen their cooperation on defence education

Source: NATO

Representatives of the NATO Defence and Security Cooperation Directorate met with the leadership and personnel of Tunisia’s Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence, from 5 to 8 November 2024. They took stock of the reform efforts undertaken by the country’s military education institutions, with support from NATO, through NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP).

Commandants and Education Directors of the five main military defence education institutions, namely War and Staff Colleges, the Military Academy, the Naval Academy and the Aviation School, briefed their NATO counterparts on the progress made to date, including the launch of an ePortal project introducing ILIAS as Learning Management System (LMS) for online learning in all Tunisian professional military education institutions. 

DEEP eAcademy is preparing system administrators, instructors and content creators of the Tunisian military professional education institutions for the future integration of the ePortal into the Armed Forces’ educational programmes.  With continued NATO experts’ support in faculty and curriculum development Tunisia continues to modernise and professionalise its entire military educational system. 

Through its Individually Tailored Partnership Programme (ITTP), Tunisia is also enhancing its role as regional capacity-building hub and contributes to regional stability by including about 20 percent cadets from central African countries in their programmes and by deploying Tunisian experts on defence education faculty development to Mauritania.

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Secretary General in Türkiye: Strong Turkish defence capabilities contribute to a strong NATO

Source: NATO

During a one-day visit to Türkiye, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met President Recep Tayyip Erdoǧan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler in Ankara on Monday (25 November 2024).

The Secretary General praised Türkiye for its commitment to the Alliance’s collective security. He highlighted that Türkiye has the second-largest army in NATO and spends over 2% of GDP on defence.

Mr. Rutte also congratulated Türkiye for successfully concluding its command of NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, stating that “your consistent contribution of troops is crucial in maintaining a safe and secure environment for all in Kosovo.” 

The Secretary General and President Erdogan addressed Russia’s war in Ukraine. Mr. Rutte commended Türkiye for its firm support of Ukraine’s defence industry with the ammunition, artillery and aid it needs, also by playing a key role in initiatives like the Black Sea Grain Deal and other diplomatic efforts. 

In his meetings with Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler, the Secretary General addressed a range of issues, including Türkiye’s contributions to NATO security, defence industrial cooperation, the situation in the Middle East, terrorism, and Allied support for Ukraine.

Mr. Rutte thanked Türkiye for the major role it plays in the fight against terrorism, including in NATO’s mission in Iraq. The Secretary General reiterated his solidarity with Türkiye and expressed his condolences regarding the terrorist attack on the facilities of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI-TUSAS) in Ankara on 23 October. “We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms” said Mr. Rutte.

During his official stay in Ankara, Mr. Rutte also paid a visit to the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a memorial site dedicated to honouring the legacy and contributions of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic.

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INTERPOL and the Government of Canada join forces against transnational vehicle crime

Source: Interpol (news and events)

25 November 2024

LYON, France – Vehicle crime is a multi-billion-dollar global industry that fuels organized crime but a new partnership between INTERPOL and the Government of Canada aims to put the brakes on this illicit trade.

Stolen vehicles are often moved across continents, sometimes ending up thousands of kilometers away from where they were stolen, making a coordinated international approach crucial.  For organized crime groups, the trade of stolen vehicles and parts can be a low-risk way to fund other criminal activities. The illicit market in spare parts can even put lives at risk, as illegitimate parts are likely to fall below recognized safety standards.

Project Drive Out, with a budget of EUR 2.4 million, will enhance information sharing between INTERPOL member states, law enforcement agencies and private partners. The objective of the project is to increase the detection of stolen vehicles and spare parts around the world.

The three-year project will also strengthen data analysis by expanding and developing INTERPOL tools which facilitate the exchange of data between car manufacturers and police.  The project will also allow INTERPOL to support participating countries with on-the-ground operations and bolster training on identification and investigative tactics.

Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs in Canada, said:

“Auto theft is a crime that knows no borders. That’s why continued collaboration between domestic and international law enforcement partners like INTERPOL is key to recovering Canadians’ stolen property and to disrupting the organized crime groups involved.”

Valdecy Urquiza, INTERPOL’s Secretary General, said:

“Vehicle crime isn’t just about stolen cars—it’s about something far more complex, far more dangerous. It’s about organized crime using those stolen vehicles and parts as currency to fuel a network of illegal activities—from drug trafficking to human smuggling, from the arms trade to acts of terror.

“This partnership with the Government of Canada represents a step forward, empowering law enforcement across the globe to strike at the heart of a crime that reaches far beyond a single theft. Together, we’re building a safer world.”

INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle database, the key law enforcement tool for tackling vehicle crime will be enhanced as part of Project Drive Out. It currently contains more than 12 million records, allowing police in INTERPOL member countries to run a check against a suspicious vehicle and find out instantly whether it has been reported as stolen. In 2023, approximately 226,000 vehicles globally were identified as stolen through the database and so far in 2024 the database has been searched more than 356 million times.

Canada has become a major origin point for stolen vehicles in recent years, driven in part by the country’s abundance of in-demand, high-end models like SUVs and crossovers. These vehicles are often smuggled to destinations in the Middle East and West Africa, where they are subsequently sold or traded.  From February to October 2024, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police received 2,666 alerts about Canadian vehicles and 491 international collaboration requests via INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle database.