Category: Interpol

Source: Interpol (news and events)

Diego Nicolás Marset Alba, a reputed drug kingpin and brother to the leader of the “Primer Cartel Uruguayo” cartel, was arrested in Brazil on Tuesday 26 December as part of a regional police operation involving INTERPOL National Central Bureaus (NCBs) in Brasilia, La Paz, Asuncion and Montevideo.

22-year-old Uruguayan national Diego Marset had been avoiding arrest for many years by using multiple false identities from Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. He is thought to be a central figure in the trafficking of drugs from South America to Europe and is also linked to several high-profile killings.

Diego Marset was the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice requested by Paraguay, which serves as a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and arrest a suspect for extradition.

Married to a Bolivian woman, Diego Marset became the focus of this strategic regional operation when INTERPOL shared intelligence that his wife was nearing childbirth in Foz de Iguacu, Brazil.

Foreseeing Marset’s potential visit to Brazil for the birth, officers from Brazil’s Federal Police monitored the wife’s residence and arrested the fugitive when he arrived at her home.

Valdecy Urquiza, Brazil’s Director of International Cooperation and INTERPOL Vice President for the Americas, said:

“It was the crucial leads provided by countries in the region to the global police community which permitted Brazil’s capture of Diego Marset. It is by working together this way to ensure dangerous fugitives are behind bars that police contribute to global security.

“This arrest not only makes the world a safer place but also demonstrates South America’s determination and commitment to dismantling global criminal networks for global security.”

For NCB Asuncion, this arrest is part of “Operation A Ultranza PY”, one of Paraguay’s most extensive operations against organized crime and money laundering and involving more than 100 raids, 30 arrest warrants, and the seizure of assets worth over USD 100 million.

Paraguay’s Minister of Interior Enrique Riera Escudero said:

“We commend INTERPOL for making sure critical policing tools are strategically positioned for effective regional cooperation across the globe: the INTERPOL community has been key to disrupting South American transnational organized crime groups which damage the region’s communities and economy with their dangerous activities.

“The arrest of Diego Marset stands as a warning for those who think they can continue to threaten our regional stability and security: this is just the beginning.”

While Diego Marset now faces extradition to Paraguay, the hunt continues for his brother, Sebastián Marset, who remains at large and the subject of Red Notices from multiple countries for his drug trafficking ties and links to high profile murders.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – A criminal group responsible for the illegal streaming of 72 Korean and international channels and the distribution of nearly 110,000 video files has been dismantled following joint action between authorities in Korea, Indonesia and INTERPOL.

The illegal service had been running for approximately nine years, capitalizing on the high demand among Korean expatriates for domestic real-time broadcasting content, amounting to more than KRW 16 billion (USD 1.23 million) in estimated losses.

The suspects had subscribed to 40 Korean cable TV service accounts and would re-broadcast their content to Indonesia. They also provided video-on-demand (VOD) services to users who connected to their platform via customized TV boxes, applications, and web browsers.

The successful collaboration comes under the INTERPOL Stop Online Piracy Project (I-SOP). Coordination with the Indonesian Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP), the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), and the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), led to the arrest of three suspects behind the illegal Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service.

The illegal service was first flagged by the copyright holder to Indonesian officials in May 2023. When a full-scale investigation was opened, INTERPOL facilitated meetings and coordinated joint enforcement actions between Korean and Indonesian officials.

Simultaneous raids were subsequently held in both countries in late October, leading to the arrests.

LIM Seonghwan, Director General of the Copyright Bureau MCST said:

“The MCST’s Copyright Crime Forensic Investigation Division will continue to expand international cooperation investigations in collaboration with INTERPOL’s I-SOP project to address copyright infringement crimes occurring overseas. We also plan to enhance our digital investigative capabilities, including digital forensics.”

I-SOP is a five-year project funded by the MCST, which aim at combating crimes involving intellectual property infringement such as trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.

Digital piracy is a global threat, affecting creative industries such as film, TV, music and publishing, as well as the economy at large. Illegal downloads and distribution of such content results in substantial financial losses for the industries concerned which in turn affects tax revenue and jobs. Of particular concern is these crimes are often linked to other illegal activities, such as terrorist financing, money laundering and human trafficking.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, FRANCE – A transcontinental police operation against online financial crime has concluded with almost 3,500 arrests and seizures of USD 300 million (approx. EUR 273 million) worth of assets across 34 countries.

The six-month Operation HAECHI IV (July-December 2023) targeted seven types of cyber-enabled scams: voice phishing, romance scams, online sextortion, investment fraud, money laundering associated with illegal online gambling, business email compromise fraud, and e-commerce fraud.

Investigators worked together to detect online fraud and freeze associated bank and virtual asset service provider (VASP) accounts using INTERPOL’s Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP), a stop-payment mechanism which helps countries work together to block criminal proceeds.

Cooperation between Filipino and Korean authorities led to the arrest in Manila of a high-profile online gambling criminal after a two-year manhunt by Korea’s National Police Agency.

Authorities blocked 82,112 suspicious bank accounts, seizing a combined USD 199 million in hard currency and USD 101 million in virtual assets.

“HAECHI IV’s 200 per cent surge in arrests shows the persistent challenge of cyber-enabled crime, reminding us to stay alert and keep refining our tactics against online fraud, which is why INTERPOL operations like this are so important. Thank you to all concerned, especially colleagues from the Philippines and Korea.”

Investment fraud, business email compromise and e-commerce fraud accounted for 75 per cent of cases investigated in HAECHI IV.

Working with a number of VASPs, INTERPOL helped frontline officers identify 367 virtual asset accounts linked to transnational organized crime.  Police in member countries froze the assets and investigations are ongoing.

INTERPOL’s Head of National Central Bureau in Korea, Kim Dong Kwon, said:

“It is remarkable that global efforts to stay ahead of the latest criminal trends have resulted in a substantial growth in operational outcomes.

“Despite criminals’ endeavors to gain illicit advantages through contemporary trends, they will eventually be apprehended and face due punishment. To accomplish this, Project HAECHI will consistently evolve and expand its scope.”

Two Purple Notices were published during Operation HAECHI IV warning countries about emerging digital investment fraud practices.

One alerted INTERPOL member countries to a new scam detected in Korea involving the sale of Non-Fungible Tokens with promises of huge returns, which turned out to be a “rug pull”, a growing scam in the crypto industry where developers abruptly abandon a project and investors lose their money.

The second purple notice warned about the use of AI and deep fake technology to lend credibility to scams by enabling criminals to hide their identities and to pretend to be family member, friends or love interests.  

The UK leg of the operation reported several cases where AI-generated synthetic content was used to deceive, defraud, harass, and extort victims, particularly through impersonation scams, online sexual blackmail, and investment fraud. Cases also involved the impersonation of people known to the victims through voice cloning technology.

HAECHI operations are supported financially by Korea.

HAECHI IV participating countries:  Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Ghana, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Korea, Romania, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – In the first operation coordinated across Asia by INTERPOL against illicit firearms, authorities in 10 countries have made over 1,700 arrests and seized 714 firearms, 921 parts and components, and 45,383 rounds of ammunition.

From 13 – 24 November, Operation Trigger-Salvo II aimed to disrupt the cross-border movement of firearms, and determine potential links between transnational organized criminal groups, firearms trafficking and terrorists.

In Central, South and East Asia, small and light weapons have become the norm for terrorist groups and criminal organizations as they are inexpensive and easy to conceal, transport and access.

This was evidenced in Pakistan, where several hundred firearms, their parts, and ammunition were recovered, mainly in the provinces bordering with Afghanistan. This led to 614 arrests, new investigations and greater insights into the routes used by trucks from Afghanistan to ferry firearms and ammunition into Pakistan.

Mohsin Hassan Butt, Director General of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency, said:

“Trigger-Salvo II was an important opportunity to disrupt the trafficking of firearms in border provinces with Afghanistan and to build a better understanding of trafficking routes to Pakistan and Central Asia.  Firearms from Afghanistan are a threat to Pakistan and Central Asia and we are in greater need to limit the diversion and trafficking of these firearms to neighbouring countries and beyond. We hope to repeat this type of initiative in the future.”

Curbing the transnational flow of illegal weapons is even more challenging in the region due to the high number of sophisticated firearms in circulation, porous borders, difficult terrain, and regional conflicts.

This security landscape is further complicated by the convergence of terrorist groups, foreign terrorist fighters and transnational organized criminal syndicates. The presence of such crime groups was highlighted when 254 suspected victims of human trafficking were rescued in the Philippines.

With trafficked weapons and associated criminal activities representing a funding source for criminals and terrorists, the operation also netted approximately 4.7 tons of drugs, while authorities in Kyrgyzstan seized 52 kg of gold ingots worth some USD 3.27 million.

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

“Illicit firearms facilitate other types of crime and pose a threat to regional and global security, whilst providing lucrative profits for criminals.”

INTERPOL mobile devices were deployed to border checkpoints during the operation, allowing for instant checks against its global databases. These generated 92 hits, including 13 for individuals targeted by INTERPOL notices. Among these, a Korean national wanted internationally under a Red Notice for his alleged links to prostitution rings was arrested in the Philippines, where a Japanese national tied to the Luffy organized crime group behind financial scams and robberies was also arrested.

Through operations such as Trigger Salvo, in partnership with the World Customs Organization (WCO) INTERPOL is supporting Central and Southeastern Asian law enforcement authorities to conduct further cross-border operations targeting the trafficking of firearms and other goods.

The operation was funded by China’s Ministry of Public Security.

Participating countries: Brunei, China (including Hong Kong and Macao), Indonesia, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France — Endangered animals including elephants, rhinos and pangolins, as well as protected timber, particularly tropical hardwoods, have been seized in a joint INTERPOL – World Customs Organization (WCO) operation to stop wildlife and timber trafficking.

From 2 – 27 October, customs and police officers coordinated some 500 arrests worldwide and more than 2,000 confiscations of animals and plants that are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) due to their threatened status. Any trade performed in breach of CITES is illegal.

The global operation, named Operation Thunder, involved police, customs, border control, environment, wildlife and forestry officials in 133 countries who worked together across borders. This marked the highest participation rate in Operation Thunder since the annual law enforcement campaign was launched in 2017.

Among the 2,114 seizures were more than 300kg of ivory, thousands of turtle eggs, 30 tonnes of plants, dozens of big cat body parts and rhino horns, as well as primates, birds and marine species.

Authorities also confiscated 2,624 cubic metres of timber which is equivalent to 440 standard shipping containers.

Although Operation Thunder 2023 results are still coming in, initial data has enabled police and customs to identify some clear trends:

• 60 per cent of wildlife trafficking cases were linked to transnational organized crime groups, operating along routes also known for smuggling other illegal products.
• Protected reptiles and marine life are being exploited for luxury brand fashion.
• Online sales platforms are still being used to sell wildlife, timber and marine goods.
• Illegal and legal timber are blended for transport to make it difficult to detect illegally logged wood.
• Transnational organized crime groups resort to high levels of document fraud, particularly the use of forged certifications and CITES permits and permit reuse.

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

“Important and endangered animals, birds and plants are being put at risk of extinction by wildlife and timber traffickers. These appalling crimes not only deprive the world of unique animals and plants but also countries of their natural assets and resources.

“The costs to communities are even greater, because as this Operation shows, almost all environmental crime has links to other forms of crime including violence, corruption and financial crime, but also has strong links to transnational organized crimes groups.

“As the world grapples with the devastating consequences of environmental degradation and species extinction, INTERPOL and WCO are emerging as leaders in safeguarding biodiversity and world security.”

WCO Secretary General Dr Kunio Mikuriya said:

“As part of a comprehensive strategy, customs plays a pivotal role in disrupting criminal networks involved in the illegal wildlife trade. This is achieved by enforcing strict controls at borders, effectively closing off avenues for exploitation and financial gain available to traffickers.”

“At the forefront of this strategy, customs employs intelligence-sharing, championing collaboration, and adopting technological advancements. These measures are crucial to stay one step ahead of criminals, thereby ensuring that customs’ contribution to combating wildlife crime is dynamic, responsive and adaptive.”

INTERPOL and the WCO shared intelligence, coordinated investigations and pooled their resources to enable frontline police and customs officers to target, identify and arrest traffickers, including those operating online, as they tried to smuggle animals or timber across borders.   

Known traffickers wanted through INTERPOL’s Red Notice alert system were identified ahead of operations and were subsequently targeted when crossing borders.

Hundreds of vehicles, including cars, trucks, and cargo ships, were searched at checkpoints across all regions. Specialized sniffer dogs and X-ray scanners were deployed to detect hidden wildlife and camouflaged timber shipments. Hundreds of parcels, suitcases, vehicles, boats and cargo transporters were examined as they are often used to conceal transported wildlife species.

CITES Secretary General Ivonne Higuero said:

“The results of Operation Thunder 2023 again show that strong and coordinated responses between parties are crucial to tackle transnational criminal networks involved in wildlife crime.

“Well targeted, unified and coordinated efforts such as those mobilized through this global operation are exactly what is needed to overcome the threat posed by wildlife crime.”

Notes to editors

Now in its seventh year, Operation Thunder is a joint operation coordinated annually by INTERPOL and the WCO with the backing of CITES and the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime.

Thunder operations are funded by the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships, Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative, the US Agency for International Development and the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Operation Thunder 2023 coincides with the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference – Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28) which ends today after high level discussions on how to address pressing environmental challenges characterized by climate change and biodiversity loss.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – An INTERPOL-coordinated operation against people smuggling and human trafficking across the Americas has led to 257 arrests, the rescue of 163 potential victims and the detection of nearly 12,000 irregular migrants from 69 different countries.

During Operation Turquesa V, authorities in 33 countries carried out more than 850,000 checks at major transit points to disrupt the transnational organized crime groups profiting from smuggling routes to the USA and Canada.

Throughout the five-day operation (27 November – 1 December), INTERPOL set up an Operational Coordination Unit in Costa Rica. Officers from the Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants unit were also deployed to the land border in Tabatinga, Brazil, and to the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, where they used INTERPOL Mobile Devices to perform live checks against its global databases.

A snapshot of irregular migration trends

Since 2019, Operation Turquesa has provided a snapshot of migration trends in transit countries across South and Central America, allowing destinations further north to monitor changes in migration flows.

Preliminary results of this year’s edition show a marked increase in trans-continental flows, particularly from China, which was the third most detected country of origin among irregular migrants, behind Venezuela and Ecuador.

During interviews, smuggling victims provided valuable insights on recruitment methods, travel conditions and costs. Migrants reported paying between USD 2,700 and upwards of USD 20,000 depending on the journey.

Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary General said:

“The number of nationalities detected during Operation Turquesa V demonstrates how this major migration corridor, once considered a route reserved to the Americas, has become the target of organized crime groups from around the world.

“They are making enormous profits by smuggling vulnerable migrants and exploiting men, women, and children along the way. As law enforcement, we must form a united, global front by sharing more information across borders to empower frontline officers.”

In Curaçao, a passport check flagged an inbound passenger from the Dominican Republic as a potential migrant smuggler. Though he claimed to be part of a softball team travelling for a tournament, his luggage contained no equipment or uniforms, nor did his ‘teammates’. They were deported to the Dominican Republic where the man was arrested on arrival.

Thanks to information provided by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), authorities in the Bahamas detected a group of 18 Ecuadorian irregular migrants, pointing to a potential new route through the Caribbean.

Human trafficking: sexual exploitation and cyber-enabled

The majority of victims identified during the operation had been trafficked for sexual exploitation. Dozens of underage victims were rescued, including 12 children in Honduras, the youngest of which was six years old.

After identification of three victims of sexual exploitation and nearly 200 irregular migrants, Chile’s Policia de Investigaciones arrested three suspected members of an organized crime group linked to the Tren de Aragua. At the request of Venezuela, INTERPOL published five Red Notices for additional members of the group.

In a rare case, Brazilian authorities were alerted by hospital staff to a man who had made two separate paternity claims for abandoned newborns in less than one month. They later found that the 49-year-old had recently traveled to Portugal with a newborn, but returned to Sao Paolo alone. Following extensive cooperation between both countries, the baby girl was safeguarded in Portugal and international child trafficking investigations are ongoing.

With organized crime groups becoming increasingly digital, most trafficking victims reported being recruited via messaging apps and social media platforms. In Brazil, the Federal Police froze USD 286,000 in criminal proceeds belonging to an organized crime group running cyber scam centres in Cambodia. More than 100 Brazilians had been promised cryptocurrency jobs through social media ads offering generous wages, productivity bonuses, food, and lodging. Once they arrived, however, they were held against their will and forced to carry out online investment scams.

International cooperation

This operation was financed by Global Affairs Canada, under the framework of Project Turquesa. The initiative leverages the strengths of INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to ensure a whole-of-justice approach to migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

The UNODC will therefore play a key role in following up with prosecutors to carry out the judicial process.

Additional support was provided by Europol and the International Office on Migration.

Participating countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Trinidad And Tobago, Turks & Caicos, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

MITO, IBARAKI, Japan – Secretary General of INTERPOL Jürgen Stock has welcomed the communique issued by the G7 Interior and Security Ministers meeting today (10 December).

After briefing the G7 meeting on cyber-enabled fraud and transnational organized crime, the Secretary General said:

“We warmly welcome the G7’s commitment to fight transnational organized crime, an international crisis that is undermining the rule of law, communities and business around the world.

“As I set out, we are seeing a considerable increase in the volume and complexity of cyber-enabled fraud around the world. It is being perpetrated by polycriminal transnational organized crime groups, and includes both fraud operations and money laundering.

“We will only match this transnational organized crime through a complete global network – and so it is vital countries work together to tackle these threats internationally through organizations like the G7, but most of all through INTERPOL’s global policing systems.”

The Secretary General also highlighted INTERPOL’s work on Black Axe, an organized crime group based in West Africa, but now based in 40 so-called zones worldwide using cyber-enabled criminal activities.

The G7 Interior and Security Ministers meeting was attended by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as INTERPOL and the EU. The meeting was hosted by Japan in the city of Mito, Ibaraki.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – The first INTERPOL operation specifically targeting the phenomenon of human trafficking-fuelled fraud has revealed further evidence that the crime trend is expanding beyond Southeast Asia.

Following five months of investigative coordination, law enforcement from participating countries carried out more than 270,000 inspections and police checks at 450 human trafficking and migrant smuggling hotspots from 16-20 October.

Many of the hotspots are regularly used to traffic victims to notorious cyber scam centres in Southeast Asia. Victims are often lured through fake job ads and forced to commit online fraud on an industrial scale, while enduring abject physical abuse. Fraud schemes include fake cryptocurrency investments, as well as work-from-home, lottery and online gambling scams.

In total, the operation resulted in:

• The arrest of 281 individuals for offences such as human trafficking, passport forgery, corruption, telecommunications fraud, and sexual exploitation;
• The rescue of 149 human trafficking victims;
• More than 360 investigations opened, many of which remain ongoing.

Global spread

The cyber scam cases uncovered during the operation demonstrate this expanding geographical footprint.

During the pre-operational phase, INTERPOL supported national authorities for a case in which 40 Malaysian victims were lured to Peru with the promise of a high-paying job, only to be forced to commit telecommunications fraud.

In October, reports were received from Ugandan law enforcement of several citizens taken to Dubai – allegedly for employment – before being diverted to Thailand and then Myanmar. There, the victims were handed over to an online fraud syndicate and kept under armed guard while being taught to defraud banks.

In India, police from the state of Telangana registered one of their first cases of human trafficking for the purpose of cyber fraud. An accountant was lured to Southeast Asia where he was forced to participate in online fraud schemes in inhuman conditions. He was eventually able to leave following the payment of a ransom.

In Myanmar alone, over the past year authorities reported rescuing trafficking victims who originated from 22 countries, largely from Kayin and Shan States.

Focus on prevention

Beyond the cyber scam centres, the operation saw law enforcement uncover a range of other human trafficking and migrant smuggling offences:

• A 13-year-old boy from Bangladesh was rescued after being trafficked to India, following rapid cooperation between the INTERPOL NCBs in each country.
• Two female victims from Nepal, one aged 17, were also rescued and returned home from India. They had been trafficked to New Delhi and trapped in prostitution.
• Turkish law enforcement apprehended 239 migrant smugglers while patrolling the country’s coastline, intercepting nearly 4,000 irregular migrants.

Prevention was also a key focus of the operation, with member countries rolling out awareness campaigns to help potential victims avoid being trafficked.

Checks by police officers at border checkpoints, who looked for tell-tale signs of trafficking among travellers, succeeded in intercepting nearly 800 potential victims across all countries. Many were likely victims of fake recruiters.

In the United Arab Emirates, multiple campaigns were conducted at markets and massage parlours about the key dangers and indicators of human trafficking. Authorities in Nepal ran community outreach programmes throughout the country on the radio, at border crossing points and by distributing pamphlets in public places.

Operation Storm Makers II benefited from funding from the Regional Support Office of the Bali Process as well as financial support from Global Affairs Canada and China’s Ministry of Public Security.

Participating countries: Angola, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

LYON, France – Over 70 people have been arrested in two operations to tackle environmental crime coordinated by INTERPOL, which were announced today ahead of a major meeting on crime and the environment taking place at the COP28 Summit.
 
Environmental crime has become the third most lucrative industry for transnational organized crime groups, generating up to USD 280 billion a year, destabilizing communities, economies and the environment.

Operation Aurum, Nigeria

Conducted across three Nigerian states, Operation Aurum sought to detect and dismantle the criminal networks behind illegal mining, trafficking in mercury and resulting deforestation and poisoning of ecosystems.
 
Vulnerable communities suffer the adverse effects of pollution and other health-related risks caused by illegal mining, in addition to falling victim to kidnapping, intimidation, forced labour and violence from organized crime networks, and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram.
 
52 suspects were arrested during the operation (7 – 9 October), with 11 of these considered high-level targets. Some 18 trucks transporting large quantities of illegally mined products were also seized.
 
Operation Aurum again highlighted that forced labour, notably child labour, was commonplace in mining sites, with most illegal miners recruited, or coerced to work, aged between 12 and 16.

Operation Bahia Negra, Paraguay

This operation targeted networks involved in environmental crimes in the tri-border area (Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia) of Alto Paraguay which is affected by climate change.
 
Bahia Negra aimed to dismantle illicit settlements dedicated to illegal hunting, timber trafficking and forced labour, and investigate illicit timber and wildlife cargo trafficking routes.
 
The operation (16 – 22 October) led to 23 arrests, with six additional suspects identified. Eight of the arrests are linked to an Asian transnational criminal network involved in global wildlife trafficking. Electronic devices were also seized and are undergoing forensic investigation.
 
The initiative established how trafficking in human beings, firearms, drugs, stolen vehicles and counterfeit goods converge geographically with illegal timber and wildlife trafficking along these routes.
 
Both operations were funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

INTERPOL and the UAE’s I2LEC initiative

“Our partnership with the UAE in this endeavour underlines the escalating threat posed by environmental crime in the age of climate change.”
 
To maximize the global response, INTERPOL has joined a newly established coalition as part of the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC).
 
The initiative was founded by the UAE’s Ministry of Interior and is implemented in collaboration with UNODC and other international organizations.
 
INTERPOL will serve as the lead operational arm of I2LEC with a view to coordinating future operations under its umbrella.
 
Since it was established 13 years ago, INTERPOL’s environmental security programme has helped drive global operational efforts to bring players together to fight crimes against the planet.

Source: Interpol (news and events)

VIENNA, Austria – To address the growth and sophistication of transnational organized crime, INTERPOL’s centennial General Assembly has closed with a call to action to tackle this ‘epidemic’.

Faced with greater connectivity between criminal groups and the parallel expansion of illicit activities, the Vienna Declaration sets out five priority actions to ensure law enforcement is better supported in this fight.

Endorsed by INTERPOL’s Executive Committee, the Declaration calls for leaders to consider transnational organized crime as a national security priority, redouble international police cooperation efforts and increase investment in the tools available to law enforcement.

Increased action

Officially closing the conference, Austria’s Minister of the Interior, Gerhard Karner emphasized the importance of international cooperation: “Shared visions and strategies must lead us side by side into the future.

“Austria will continue to be a strong partner for INTERPOL, actively contributing to realizing our common goals in the service of security.”

INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser al-Raisi said the Vienna Declaration was a real commitment to safeguard communities, secure borders, and protect citizens.

“The measures it outlines must be the foundation of our collective commitment and actions, to address organized crime more effectively. It is an urgent call to action, for every nation, leader, and citizen, to unite in combatting transnational organized crime,” said President Al Raisi.

Global security architecture

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said, “Transnational organized crime is an epidemic. To address the complexity of today’s interconnected networks we must build bridges between separate sources of information.

“Criminals will always exploit every crisis,. This is why coordinated action by law enforcement action – across every region – is essential and why we cannot afford any gap, or weaking of the global security architecture.”

As the only police organization that works at the global level, INTERPOL plays a unique role in supporting international efforts to safeguard communities and make the world a safer place.

Aligned to this, in 2018 INTERPOL launched its Global Policing Goals (GPGs) designed to complement the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The 2023 review of the GPGs, which includes recommendations for engagement with regional law enforcement bodies for a more cohesive and effective global data-sharing framework was endorsed by delegates.

The largest ever INTERPOL General Assembly, held in the same city where the Organization was created in 1923, also saw the approval of a range of resolutions focused on increased action to tackle environmental crime and online child sexual abuse.

Standards

As part of the ongoing reforms to modernize and enhance INTERPOL’s governance, delegates also endorsed resolutions in relation to standards of conduct and ethics for the Organization’s meetings and election campaigning.

The Code was developed by the Governance Working Group, which includes representatives from 74 member countries across all world regions.

The 92nd General Assembly will be held in Glasgow, Scotland where INTERPOL’s membership will vote to appoint a new Secretary General.