Category: Interpol

ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire: INTERPOL and the African Development Bank Group have signed a letter of intent to pursue greater cooperation to combat corruption, financial crime, cyber-enabled fraud and money laundering.

The letter was signed by African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi Adesina INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza during his visit to the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan as part of his first official mission to Côte d’Ivoire.

Significant step forward

The first multilateral development bank to establish such a collaboration with INTERPOL, the Bank described the signing as a “significant step forward in its fight against corruption and financial crime”.

The agreement aims to enhance collaboration between the Bank’s Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption (PIAC) and INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC).

It will focus on sharing expertise, enhancing investigative capabilities, and developing preventive measures against emerging financial crime threats.

The agreement comes as Africa faces significant challenges of illicit financial flows, estimated at nearly USD 90 billion annually – a loss of resources that could otherwise be invested in critical development needs including water, sanitation, health, food, and energy infrastructure.

According to INTERPOL’s 2024 Global Financial Fraud Assessment, business email compromise, romance baiting, phishing and other online frauds are a growing concern in Africa due to rapid advancements in digital technology.

INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said:

“Corruption and financial crime are among the biggest obstacles to economic and social development in Africa and around the world. INTERPOL’s closer relationship with the AfDB will help law enforcement agencies and financial institutions across Africa tackle increasingly sophisticated financial crime threats.”

AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina said:

“This partnership demonstrates our commitment to protecting development resources and ensuring they reach their intended beneficiaries. As the world’s most transparent financial institution for two consecutive years, according to Publish What You Fund, we maintain zero tolerance for corruption and terrorism financing. By joining forces with INTERPOL, we are strengthening our capacity to help African countries build robust systems against money laundering and financial crime.”

The Bank Group deploys approximately USD 10 billion annually in development financing, with the majority going to government projects.

LYON, France – Senior police officials from around the world are gathering in Lyon this week for INTERPOL’s annual Heads of National Central Bureaus (NCBs) Conference.

As the primary point of contact between INTERPOL and national law enforcement agencies in its 196 member countries, NCBs are uniquely positioned to share knowledge, expertise, and best practices in the fight against transnational crime.

Bringing together some 310 delegates from 150 countries, the three-day (11 – 13 February) meeting will discuss strategies for using INTERPOL’s capabilities and network to tackle current and emerging security risks.

Harnessing technology

Through a series of panel-based discussions and regional roundtable sessions, attendees will address a range of crime threats including gang violence, extremism and radicalization and cybercrime, as well as the use of technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence to enhance law enforcement capabilities.

INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi said:

“In today’s world, the importance of cross-border collaboration and data sharing cannot be over-stated.

“National Central Bureaus are the critical link connecting police agencies across INTERPOL’s member countries to the General Secretariat and the wider global security community. The challenges we face are not easy, but together, we are stronger.”

INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said:

“INTERPOL’s mission must always stay aligned with its member countries’ needs—needs that are constantly changing as the landscape of international crime evolves.

“The Heads of National Central Bureaus’ conference is an opportunity for us to understand the wide-ranging priorities and challenges of our membership, and more importantly how we can help. There will be no strong INTERPOL without strong NCBs.”

Leading platform

Now in its 20th edition, the Heads of NCB conference is a leading platform for international police cooperation.

The event provides senior policing officials with a valuable opportunity to directly engage with their counterparts from around the world, fostering collaboration and exchanging knowledge to drive progress in the global effort to combat transnational crime.

LYON, France – In a major blow to organized crime, 12 different Nigerian law enforcement agencies, supported by INTERPOL and AFRIPOL, have launched a sweeping operation that has resulted in the arrests of 36 individuals and seizures worth USD 3 million.

The operation (23-27 September 2024) brought together Nigerian authorities for a Nigerian law enforcement agencies and criminal justice stakeholders working on a broad range of crime areas were involved in the operation, including financial crime and cybercrime as well as drug and human trafficking.

The operation was delivered under the framework of the ISPA programme, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, to support AFRIPOL in strengthening its position as the lead institution in Africa for preventing and combating transnational organized crime, terrorism and cybercrime.

LYON, France – Nearly 20,000 live animals, all endangered or protected species, have been seized in a global operation against wildlife and forestry trafficking networks, jointly coordinated by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO).

Operation Thunder 2024 (11 November – 6 December) brought together police, customs, border control, forestry and wildlife officials from 138 countries and regions, marking the widest participation since the first edition in 2017.

Authorities arrested 365 suspects and identified six transnational criminal networks suspected of trafficking animals and plants protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Such species are illegally trafficked to meet specific market demands, whether for food, perceived medicinal benefits, “luxury” and collector items or as pets and competition animals.

The live animals, which included big cats, birds, pangolins, primates and reptiles were rescued in connection with 2,213 seizures made worldwide.

Where possible, wildlife forensic experts collected DNA samples before transferring the animals to conservation centres, where their health was assessed while awaiting repatriation or rehabilitation, in line with national frameworks and relevant protocols.

The collection of DNA is a crucial part of supporting prosecutions, as it helps confirm the type of species and its origin or distribution, shedding light on new trafficking routes and emerging trends.

Large-scale trafficking of animal parts, plants and endangered species

In addition to the live animals, participating countries seized hundreds of thousands of protected animal parts and derivatives, trees, plants, marine life and arthropods.

Timber cases represent the most significant seizures, primarily occurring in sea cargo container shipments, while most other seizures took place at airports and mail processing hubs.

Authorities also investigated online activities and found suspects using multiple profiles and linked accounts across social media platforms and marketplaces to expand their reach.

More than 100 companies involved in the trafficking of protected species were also identified.

Valdecy Urquiza, INTERPOL Secretary General said:

“Organized crime networks are profiting from the demand for rare plants and animals, exploiting nature to fuel human greed. This has far-reaching consequences: it drives biodiversity loss, destroys communities, contributes to climate change and even fuels conflict and instability.

“Environmental crimes are uniquely destructive, and INTERPOL, in cooperation with its partners, is committed to protecting our planet for future generations.”

Ian Saunders, WCO Secretary General, said:

“Operation Thunder continues to shed light on a crime that is often not a priority for enforcement actors. Through our joint efforts we have established cooperation mechanisms that facilitate the exchange of information and intelligence, and we have refined our enforcement strategies.

“The illegal wildlife trade is still rapidly growing, highly lucrative and has devastating effects. The WCO remains committed to supporting its members and partners to effectively combat this serious crime.”

Significant seizures include:

• Indonesia: 134 tonnes of timber headed to Asia via ocean freight.
• Kenya: 41 tonnes of exotic timber headed to Asia via ocean freight.
• Nigeria: 4,472 kg of pangolins scales
• Türkiye: 6,500 live songbirds discovered during a vehicle inspection at the Syrian border.
• India: 5,193 live red-eared ornamental slider turtles concealed in passenger suitcases arriving from Malaysia at Chennai Airport.
• Peru: 3,700 protected plants intercepted en route from Ecuador.
• Qatar: Eight rhino horns found in a suspect’s luggage while transiting from Mozambique to Thailand.
• United States: One tonne of sea cucumbers, considered a seafood delicacy, smuggled from Nicaragua.
• Hong Kong, China: 973 kg of dried shark fins originating from Morocco seized at the airport.
• Czech Republic: Eight tigers, aged between two months and two years, discovered in a suspected illegal breeding facility.
• Indonesia: 846 pieces of reticulated python skin, from the world’s longest snake species, concealed on board a ship.
• More than 300 firearms, vehicles and poaching equipment.

Ahead of the operation, countries exchanged actionable intelligence on ongoing cases and high-value targets, updating critical information on 21 INTERPOL Red Notices for suspected traffickers wanted internationally. This exchange continued throughout the operation, with officers using the secure channels provided by both INTERPOL and the WCO to communicate in real time.

The Operation Thunder series is backed by the CITES Secretariat and carried out under the partnership framework of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). The 2024 edition was co-funded by the European Union, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The creation of a new INTERPOL Regional Bureau the Middle East  and North Africa (MENA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken an important step forward.

The ‘Host Country Agreement’ was signed at a ceremony attended by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of the Interior, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Saud Bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi and INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.Aimed at strengthening INTERPOL’s engagement with the MENA region, the new Regional Bureau will serve as a hub for the Organization’s activities in supporting member countries in combating transnational crime and terrorism.

It will also work closely with existing national and regional structures, such as the Arab Interiors Ministers’ Council, GCCPOL, and the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences to strengthen cooperation and information sharing.

The establishment of the Regional Bureau was first proposed in 2016 at the INTERPOL Chiefs of Police Meeting for the MENA region. The plan was subsequently endorsed by INTERPOL’s General Assembly in Santiago, Chile, in 2019, with final approval for the Host Country Agreement from the Executive Committee in May 2024.

The Agreement incorporates principles essential to ensuring the Regional Bureau’s proper functioning. The next steps in finalizing the creation and opening of the Regional Bureau will cover the financial, administrative, security and logistical aspects.

LYON, France – An INTERPOL-coordinated border security operation in West Africa has resulted in 45 arrests and the seizure of drugs, counterfeit medicines, and stolen vehicles worth millions of dollars.

Held from 21 October to 24 November, Operation Screen West Africa 2024 brought together law enforcement agencies from 12 West African countries to strengthen border security and disrupt transnational organized crime networks.

The operation notably led to the detection of a suspected Islamic State member at the Mali-Niger-Burkina Faso tri-border area and thwarted the plans of a North African suspect planning to transit through Europe to join ISIS in Syria.

Frontline officers at land, air and sea border points were provided with INTERPOL Mobile Devices (IMDs) to access INTERPOL’s critical global intelligence, enabling them to conduct in real time over 1.3 million checks against INTERPOL’s databases.

Checks against INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database detected 82 individuals travelling on stolen and irregular passports. Mauritanian authorities also launched an investigation into the international trafficking of French and Spanish passports.

Additionally, 11 suspects wanted internationally under INTERPOL Red Notices were arrested during the operation.

Operational seizures included:

• 1.6 tonnes of cocaine worth over USD 50 million in Cabo Verde

• 10 tonnes of amphetamines in Burkina Faso

• 33 types of counterfeit medicines in Benin and Togo

• 40 tonnes of substandard pharmaceuticals in Côte d’Ivoire

Over 100 luxury vehicles stolen in Canada and European countries were also recovered, exposing a network that trafficked stolen cars to West Africa. Almost 50 per cent of the stolen vehicles originated from Canada, where data sharing via INTERPOL’s database has helped identify over 1,500 stolen Canadian vehicles worldwide since February 2024.

The proceeds from these stolen vehicles often fund organized crime activities, including arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and terror networks.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Police Commissaire Divisionnaire Ami Flora Savane Fanny said:

“By addressing critical challenges that transcend borders, Operation Screen has demonstrated the power of international collaboration in combating the scourges of organized crime and terrorism which undermine the security of our populations and weaken the foundations of our institutions.”

Mohamed Moussa, INTERPOL’s Operation Screen Coordinator, added:

“This operation marks a critical step in disrupting transnational organized crime networks that threaten regional stability and undermine efforts to build peace and foster development across West Africa.”

Note to Editors

The 12 participating countries were Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

The operation fell under Project I-CT Shield, funded by the German Foreign Federal Office.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The creation of a new INTERPOL Regional Bureau for North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken an important step forward.

The ‘Host Country Agreement’ was signed at a ceremony attended by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of the Interior, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Saud Bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi and INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.Aimed at strengthening INTERPOL’s engagement with the MENA region, the new Regional Bureau will serve as a hub for the Organization’s activities in supporting member countries in combating transnational crime and terrorism.

It will also work closely with existing national and regional structures, such as the Arab Interiors Ministers’ Council, GCCPOL, and the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences to strengthen cooperation and information sharing.

The establishment of the Regional Bureau was first proposed in 2016 at the INTERPOL Chiefs of Police Meeting for the MENA region. The plan was subsequently endorsed by INTERPOL’s General Assembly in Santiago, Chile, in 2019, with final approval for the Host Country Agreement from the Executive Committee in May 2024.

The Agreement incorporates principles essential to ensuring the Regional Bureau’s proper functioning. The next steps in finalizing the creation and opening of the Regional Bureau will cover the financial, administrative, security and logistical aspects.