Category: Interpol

LYON, France – An innovative new operation to tackle the emerging trend of human trafficking facilitated by technology, including social media, apps and other digital platforms, has been launched by INTERPOL and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The initiative is a response to a worrying pattern of victims being trafficked from Latin America, lured by fake or deceptive job offers. They are then taken to another country, increasingly in Europe, where they are subject to exploitation, mainly through prostitution.

This first-of-its-kind operation took place from 19 to 22 November 2024, during which the participating officers were supported by INTERPOL’s capabilities in human trafficking, facial recognition, cybercrime and criminal analysis.

Throughout the action days, participating countries worked side by side poring over information from websites and messaging apps. Significant results included the identification of:

• 68 potential victims
• 146 potential exploiters, recruiters and facilitators
• 365 usernames and 162 URLs linked to suspicious activity.

Cyril Gout, INTERPOL’s Acting Executive Director of Police Services, said:

“Technology is, now more than ever, facilitating all forms of organized crime – human trafficking is no exception. This innovative operational week at INTERPOL’s headquarters successfully brought together officers at both ends of this troubling trafficking flow between Latin America and Europe. Their hard work led to the detection of hundreds of incidents and data elements that will be the basis for further investigation.”

In one case, the Netherlands and Venezuela were able to collect facial images of women advertised as Venezuelan escorts on European websites and run them through INTERPOL databases. A match was made to a Blue Notice – a notice which seeks to collect information about a person’s identity or location because of a suspected connection to, or knowledge of, a criminal investigation.

The operation also detected an influx of Brazilian women on adult service websites advertised in Ireland, with one individual suspected to be behind the numerous accounts. Police from Ireland and Brazil worked together to identify a suspected recruiter with links to an organized crime group. A similar pattern was observed by the United Kingdom, which identified a domestic services website closely connected to a page offering sexually explicit content.

Officers from Spain and Colombia teamed up to investigate the recruitment of Colombian women to work as escorts in Spain, only to be forced into prostitution. To be released from their debt, victims were being asked to pay EUR 12,000.

Meanwhile, police from the Netherlands focused on examining active Telegram groups featuring offers for sex workers which showed signs of exploitation. They were able to extract a range of images, usernames and even telephone numbers, which were shared with all participating officers, prompting multiple further probes.

In another example, officers from Germany detected a potentially underage victim being advertised in Switzerland. The case was communicated to Swiss authorities via INTERPOL’s secure messaging system for further investigation, helping to verify the victim’s age and locate potential traffickers.

This inaugural event provided valuable intelligence that will be used to initiate many more new investigations and support ongoing cases. It was also an opportunity for countries to share experiences, exchange knowledge and acquire new detection strategies, ultimately enabling them to better navigate this complex criminal landscape.

The operation, led by INTERPOL, was supported by Europol, META, STOP THE TRAFFIK, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and financed by Global Affairs Canada and the OSCE.

Participating countries:

Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, Venezuela

LYON, France – INTERPOL is calling for a shift in language to combat online relationship and investment frauds, advocating for the term ‘romance baiting’ to replace the widely used but stigmatizing ‘pig butchering’. 

The term comes from fraudsters referring to their victims as ‘pigs’ – those they gradually ‘fatten up’ by luring them into a fake romance or friendship before ‘butchering’ them by convincing them to invest, often in fake cryptocurrency schemes.

Once victims invest significant sums of money, they are manipulated further or abruptly cut off, often leaving them with devastating financial losses as well as psychological harm.

INTERPOL argues that the term ‘pig butchering’ dehumanizes and shames victims of such frauds, deterring people from coming forward to seek help and provide information to the authorities.

In contrast, the term ‘romance baiting’ – which is already used by some law enforcement agencies and online safety experts – acknowledges the sophisticated tactics and emotional manipulation used by fraudsters to build trust with their victims. It places the spotlight squarely where it belongs: on the actions of the perpetrators, rather than those of the victims.

INTERPOL Acting Executive Director of Police Services Cyril Gout said:

“Words matter. We’ve seen this in the areas of violent sexual offences, domestic abuse, and online child exploitation. We need to recognize that our words also matter to the victims of fraud. 

“It’s time to change our language to prioritize respect and empathy for the victims, and to hold fraudsters accountable for their crimes.”

Dr Elisabeth Carter, Associate Professor of Criminology and Forensic Linguist, Kingston University London, said:

“Academic research clearly shows the links between the tactics of fraudsters and of perpetrators of domestic abuse and coercive control. It is imperative that we do not adopt the terminology of these criminals but instead use terms that assist public protection and support victim reporting.”

INTERPOL’s call to action on abandoning the term ‘pig butchering’ is part of its ongoing Think Twice campaign, which raises awareness about online safety and vigilance when interacting online. 

The awareness campaign includes a series of short videos highlighting five rising online threats: ransomware attacks, malware attacks, phishing, generative AI frauds and romance baiting. 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Authorities in Paraguay have arrested 26 individuals, identified two criminal networks and 12 companies suspected of illegal deforestation and the trafficking of native tree species.

Operation Panthera Onca (14-19 October 2024) focused on the tri-border region where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay converge. The region’s strategic location and economic activity make it a key hotspot for both legal commerce and illicit networks.

The operation, led by Paraguay and coordinated by INTERPOL, involved targeted checks and inspections at land borders, surveillance of waterways and aerial monitoring of forests by helicopter and satellite. Some 100 officers and 14 different agencies took part in the two-week effort, ensuring seamless coordination between law enforcement and regulatory authorities.

A total of 28 different criminal offences were detected during the operation. Officials also seized 1,000 logs and 250 posts of quebracho wood (Schinopsis balansae), prized for its density and high tannin content.

Additionally, the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice for fraud was arrested and extradited to Brazil. Another man was returned to Brazil to serve a 15-year prison sentence for drug and arms trafficking.

Kat Henn, INTERPOL’s Assistant Director of Environmental Security said:

“Illegal deforestation encompasses a broad spectrum of criminal activities, from document fraud to money laundering and corruption. This operation highlights the urgent need for continued multi-agency and sustained cross-border cooperation to tackle the criminal networks devastating our environment for profit.”

Building long-term capacity to fight forestry crime

As part of the preparatory phase, INTERPOL organized case coordination meetings between the three participating countries to share satellite imagery and intelligence on high-value targets, as well as known hotspots, trafficking routes, data on timber shipments and suspected links with other countries and regions.

The operation was also preceded by a joint INTERPOL-UNODC mentoring session on timber sampling and identification for 40 of the Paraguayan officers involved in the operational deployment. Specialized instructors from Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay trained frontline officers, enhancing their skills to better detect and respond to forestry-related crimes in the field.

Operation Panthera Onca was delivered under the framework of project LEAP, funded by Norway’s International Climate and Forests Initiative (NICFI), with additional support from the US Forest Service.

LYON, France – A global operation involving law enforcement from 40 countries, territories and regions has ended with the arrest of over 5,500 financial crime suspects and the seizure of more than USD 400 million in virtual assets and government-backed currencies.

The five-month Operation HAECHI V (July – November 2024) targeted seven types of cyber-enabled frauds: voice phishing, romance scams, online sextortion, investment fraud, illegal online gambling, business email compromise fraud and e-commerce fraud.

As part of the operation, Korean authorities, in tandem with authorities in Beijing successfully dismantled a sprawling voice phishing syndicate responsible for financial losses totaling 1,511 billion KRW (USD 1.1 billion) and affecting over 1,900 victims. The organization’s sophisticated modus operandi included masquerading as law enforcement officials and using counterfeit identification. The operation led to the arrest of at least 27 members of the organized criminal group, with 19 individuals subsequently indicted.

INTERPOL also issued a Purple Notice during Operation HAECHI V to warn countries about an emerging cryptocurrency fraud practice involving stablecoin. Member countries were alerted to the “USDT Token Approval Scam” which allows fraudsters to access and control victims’ cryptocurrency wallets. The two-step approach first lures in victims using romance baiting techniques, instructing them to buy popular Tether stablecoins (USDT Tokens) via a legitimate platform. Once the scammers have gained their trust, the victims are provided with a phishing link claiming to allow them to set up their investment account. In reality, by clicking they authorize full access to the scammers, who can then transfer funds out of their wallet without the victim’s knowledge.

INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said:

“The effects of cyber-enabled crime can be devastating – people losing their life savings, businesses crippled, and trust in digital and financial systems undermined.
“The borderless nature of cybercrime means international police cooperation is essential, and the success of this operation supported by INTERPOL shows what results can be achieved when countries work together. It’s only through united efforts that we can make the real and digital worlds safer.”

LEE Jun Hyeong, Head of Korea’s INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Seoul said:

“Colleagues here in Korea and across police forces worldwide have demonstrated outstanding dedication and professionalism during Operation HAECHI V. Our efforts not only brought criminals to justice but also achieved significant progress in intercepting and recovering illicit funds. We will continue to contribute to ensuring a swift and effective response to cyber-enabled financial crimes.”

Now in its fifth year, HAECHI V built on previous successes, almost doubling the number of cases solved (8,309) and tripling the number of virtual asset service provider (VASP) accounts blocked (1,023) compared to 2023.

I-GRIP helps stop fraud fast

In parallel with the operation, financial crime specialists from INTERPOL worked with police investigators and financial institutions in over 80 countries to strengthen use of INTERPOL’s Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP). This stop-payment mechanism helps countries work together to rapidly intercept stolen funds and played an instrumental part in Operation HAECHI V.
In one major I-GRIP-enabled win, the Singapore Police Force used the tool to rapidly request assistance from authorities in Timor Leste when a commodity firm in Singapore fell victim to a business email compromise fraud. The firm was tricked into transferring USD 42.3 million to a fake supplier’s bank account in Timor Leste, where authorities were able to intercept USD 39.3 million in the bank account. A total of seven suspects were arrested and further investigations also led to the recovery of an additional USD 2.6 million, as well as the discovery that part of the illicit funds had already been transferred from Timor Leste to Indonesia. Further investigations by the three jurisdictions are being coordinated by INTERPOL and steps are being taken to return the stolen funds to the victim in Singapore.
In Guernsey, United Kingdom, an I-GRIP awareness session led directly to a significant breakthrough. Immediately after the session, the Guernsey Financial Intelligence Unit worked with UK authorities to submit an I-GRIP request to Portugal seeking to intercept over GBP 2 million (USD 2.5 million) in funds arising from business email compromise fraud. Rapid communication with Portuguese police authorities via I-GRIP meant the money was intercepted and subsequently returned to the victim in full.

Note to editors:

HAECHI operations are supported financially by Korea.

HAECHI V participating countries, territories and regions:  Albania, Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands (UK), China, France, Ghana, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liechtenstein, Macao (China), Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia,  Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Timor Leste, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam.

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.

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.

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.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – An operation in South America targeting the trade of fake and pirated goods has resulted in the seizure of more than 11 million products and led to 104 arrests.

Operation Crete II (August to September 2024) brought together 12 countries to combat a range of intellectual and industrial property infringements. These included the illicit trade of counterfeit fashion items, medical products, as well as digital piracy. The operation, coordinated and supported by INTERPOL, focused on products that pose a threat to the health and safety of consumers.

The operation yielded seizures with an estimated value of USD 225 million. Among the millions of items confiscated were nearly 300,000 pharmaceutical products, including prescription-only medications such as vaccines, antidepressants and chemical precursors that can be used to manufacture illicit drugs.

Of the 104 people detained during the operation, 35 were arrested for smuggling, 47 for intellectual and industrial property violations, 15 for the illegal marketing of drugs and medical supplies and seven for other crimes.

Fakes, forgeries and fraud: The connection to organized crime

As part of Operation Crete II, police in Brazil dismantled a criminal organization that had smuggled more than USD 250 million in counterfeit cigarettes. Their investigation revealed the group had used fake documents and invoices to evade inspections and transport the cargo by road. As a result, several suspects were arrested and assets were seized. The perpetrators face charges of forgery, trade in unfit products, exploitation and money laundering, with penalties that could exceed 48 years in prison.

In Chile, detectives working on the operation conducted an investigation that led to the discovery of locations selling reproductions of a well-known Spanish jewellery brand. This led to the seizure of 2,478 counterfeit jewellery items, including necklaces, bracelets and rings, with an estimated value of USD 523,000.

Ecuadorian police dismantled a counterfeit liquor ring that was producing and distributing fake versions of premium whiskey brands. The group was manufacturing the unregulated alcohol in unsanitary conditions, using recycled bottles and imitation branding elements such as labels, tax stamps and QR codes to mimic the authentic products.

In Paraguay, authorities raided a clandestine warehouse in the tri-border region, an area between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. On site they discovered molds and plates used for the fabrication of counterfeit shoes. Products worth approximately USD 750,000 were seized.

INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said: