1- Terrorism
Terrorism encompasses a range of complex threats: organized terrorism in conflict zones, foreign terrorist fighters, radicalized ‘lone wolves’, and attacks using chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive materials.
The INTERPOL experts analyse the data and share insights with the membership, for example, intelligence on emerging trends related to foreign terrorist fighters.
2- Corruption
The INTERPOL assists countries to recover and return assets obtained corruptly.
The INTERPOL Match-Fixing Task Force (IMFTF) brings together law enforcement agencies from around the world to tackle match-fixing and corruption in sport.
The INTERPOL supports member countries in match-fixing investigations and operations in all sports, and maintain a global network of match-fixing investigators so they can share information, intelligence and best practices.
The Project Energia helps countries to understand and combat the trafficking of performance-enhancing drugs by providing relevant and up-to-date criminal analysis.
3- Counterfeit currency and security documents
Counterfeiting is a crime dating back to antiquity. Today, the scope is wider, the impact greater, the tools more readily available and the techniques increasingly sophisticated.
If left unchecked, the circulation of counterfeit currency can undermine national economies, weaken financial institutions and jeopardize people’s livelihoods. It fuels the underground economy and finances the activities of organized criminal networks and terrorists.
The fraudulent use of identity and travel documents – whether they be counterfeit, forged or simply unofficial – is a major threat to both individuals and society as a whole.
The INTERPOL provides sophisticated tools, comprehensive databases and hands-on training to take the guesswork out of identifying fake banknotes and documents.
4- Crimes against children
Sexual abuse and exploitation, trafficking, forced labour and abduction: these are just some of the dangers faced by children around the world today. The INTERPOL works to address those crimes that have an international dimension.
To help trace missing children, INTERPOL issues Yellow Notices, while our human trafficking experts work alongside member countries to rescue child victims of trafficking and forced labour.
The priority of INTERPOL’s Crimes Against Children unit is to:
- identify and rescue young victims of sexual abuse;
- block access to child sexual abuse material;
- prevent sex offenders from travelling abroad to abuse children or escape justice.
5- Cultural heritage crime
Since this is a global phenomenon, it is important that countries work together. The role of the General Secretariat is primarily to support the member countries and their specialised units in this field.
The INTERPOL ensures information is shared among countries, bring experts together in workshops and conferences, and offer training on how to counter the traffic in cultural property.
When countries send us information about stolen or trafficked items, the INTERPOL analyses this and enter it into our Works of Art database. As well as being a central global repository for this information, the ITERPOL experts can also add value to information received.
The INTERPOL analyses emerging trends in art thefts such as the proliferation of counterfeit, faked or forged works, or the use of the Internet for selling works of dubious background.
Many countries do not have police units specializing in cultural property or national databases of stolen items, so INTERPOL encourages and advises on this, to make the global network stronger.
6- Cybercrime
‘Pure cybercrime’ refers to crimes against computers and information systems, where the aim is to gain unauthorized access to a device or deny access to a legitimate user.
Traditional forms of crime have also evolved as criminal organizations turn increasingly to the Internet to facilitate their activities and maximize their profit in the shortest time. These ‘cyber-enabled’ crimes are not necessarily new – such as theft, fraud, illegal gambling, the sale of fake medicines – but they have taken on a new online dimension.
The INTERPOL helps member countries to conduct investigations into cybercrimes, ensuring police have the most relevant up-to-date threat information to guide their actions.
The INTERPOL’s Cyber Fusion Centre brings together cyber experts from law enforcement and industry to gather and analyze all available information on criminal activities in cyberspace and provide countries with coherent, actionable intelligence.
7- Drug trafficking
Criminal networks traffic a range of drugs including cannabis, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. As international borders become increasingly porous, global abuse and accessibility to drugs have become increasingly widespread.
This international trade involves growers, producers, couriers, suppliers and dealers. It affects almost all of our member countries, undermining political and economic stability, ruining the lives of individuals and damaging communities. The end-users and addicts are often the victims of a powerful and manipulative business.
Drug trafficking is often associated with other forms of crime, such as money laundering or corruption. Trafficking routes can also be used by criminal networks to transport other illicit products.
The INTERPOL assists national, regional and international law enforcement bodies to counter the illicit production, trafficking and abuse of drugs in the following ways:
- Global operations against drug trafficking and assistance to ongoing investigations;
- Criminal analysis of intelligence on drug trafficking routes, modus operandi and the criminal networks involved;
- Comprehensive training for police worldwide to better tackle drug trafficking.
The INTERPOL generates analytical reports by combining national police information with data from other sources – such as international organizations, civil society and open sources. These help our member countries to expand their knowledge on crimes, highlight subjects of potential interest, and foster cross-border coordination.
8- Environmental crime
Environmental criminals pose a grave threat to our everyday lives, our planet and to future generations. Borders do not restrict environmental crimes, which range from ivory trafficking and overfishing of protected species, to illegal logging and the dumping of hazardous waste.
The same routes used to smuggle wildlife across countries and continents are often used to traffic weapons, drugs and people. Indeed, environmental crime often occurs hand in hand with other offences such as passport fraud, corruption, money laundering and even murder.
The INTERPOL has four global enforcement teams (Fisheries, Forestry, Pollution and Wildlife) which help dismantle the criminal networks behind environmental crime by providing law enforcement agencies with the tools and expertise they need to protect the environment from being exploited by criminals.
They offer investigative support to international cases and targets, coordinate operations, assist member countries to share information and conduct analysis into environmental criminal networks.
9- Financial crime
Financial crime ranges from basic theft or fraud committed by ill-intentioned individuals to large-scale operations masterminded by organized criminals with a foot on every continent. These are serious criminal activities whose importance should not be minimized as, over and beyond their social and economic impact, they are often closely linked to violent crime and even terrorism.
The INTERPOL plays a dual role in tackling financial crime, combining our everyday support to member countries with organizing targeted operations and joint investigations. The nature of financial crime means we often work in collaboration with organizations outside the law enforcement community.
10- Firearms trafficking
The use of firearms by criminals endangers the safety of citizens in all countries of the world. As well as their obvious use in armed robberies and murder, they are also linked to a wide range of other crimes. These include corruption, environmental crime, human trafficking, maritime piracy, organized crime and terrorist activities.
The INTERPOL helps law enforcement agencies address firearms crimes with three specific tools:
- The Illicit Arms Records and Tracing Management System (iARMS) which stores records of illicit firearms, including stolen, lost, trafficked/smuggled and seized firearms submitted for tracing.
- The INTERPOL Firearms Reference Table (IFRT) is an interactive online tool that provides a standard framework for identifying and describing firearms.
- The INTERPOL Ballistic Information Network (IBIN) enables law enforcement officials to compare images of ballistics (such as fired bullets and casing) to connect crimes.
11- Human trafficking
Human trafficking is linked to a number of crimes, including illicit money flows, the use of fraudulent travel documents, and cybercrime.
The INTERPOL strives to empower police in our member countries to investigate and handle cases of human trafficking. This is done via:
- Training: building long-term capacity by sharing the latest investigation and victim interview techniques with officers;
- INTERPOL’s policing capabilities and expertise: tools and systems for sharing intelligence globally;
- Global operations: concrete action in the field to disrupt and dismantle human trafficking networks;
- Partnerships: working across sectors to improve the ways in which trafficking can be identified, reported and investigated;
- Events and conferences: gathering experts from across the world;
- Specialist groups which focus on frontline police work and the exchange of operational information;
- Resources: covering general information, international legislation, and law enforcement guides and manuals.
12- Illicit goods
Given the transnational nature of crimes related to illicit goods and global health, and the need for cross-sector and cross-border collaboration, INTERPOL’s involvement is essential.
The INTERPOL works to dismantle criminal networks and reduce the risk to public health by:
- Collecting data and disseminating intelligence (e.g. analytical reports and threat assessments);
- Coordinating transnational law enforcement operations;
- Supporting multi-agency task forces, to improve cooperation between police, customs, regulatory bodies and the private sector;
- Delivering national and regional training sessions and promoting the International IP Crime Investigators College (IIPCIC);
- Raising public awareness and helping consumers to make informed choices.
13- Maritime crime
More than 80% of the world’s goods are transported by sea. A secure maritime environment is essential for the free flow of global trade.
However, merchant vessels and seafarers are vulnerable to criminal acts of piracy, kidnapping and armed robbery. These all have a negative impact on the freedom of navigation and world trade. Other illicit maritime activities such as the trafficking in weapons, drugs and humans are also a threat to international security and individual safety.
The INTERPOL works to mitigate global maritime crime and improve maritime governance in three ways: by facilitating the exchange of information, strengthening first responder and law enforcement capabilities, and building international and cross-sector coalitions.
14- Organised crime
Organized crime networks are billion-dollar businesses operating in many crime areas.
As a general rule, organised criminal networks are involved in many different types of criminal activities spanning several countries. These activities may include trafficking in people, drugs, illicit goods and weapons, armed robbery, counterfeiting and money laundering.
With revenues estimated in the billons, their criminal enterprises closely resemble those of legitimate international businesses. They have operating models, long-term strategies, hierarchies, and even strategic alliances, all serving the same purpose: to generate the most profits with the least amount of risk.
The INTERPOL’s Organized Crime unit works hand in hand with all of INTERPOL’s police services to identify major figures involved in transnational crime, the associated criminal networks and their activities. The ultimate objective is to stop the organizations themselves from operating.
The INTERPOL conducts criminal analysis based on intelligence provided by the member countries and partners, such as biometrics, images and known associations. This allows the INERPOL to provide a global picture and link organizers, financers, recruiters, distributors and corrupt officials.
15- People smuggling
People smuggling is closely tied to the use of fraudulent travel documents and is linked to other crimes such as illicit money flows, corruption, terrorism, trafficking in illicit goods and human trafficking.
The INTERPOL’s activities focus on identifying and arresting the criminals involved in smuggling, but not the migrants themselves. The response includes:
- Operations to dismantle the criminal networks behind people smuggling and related crimes;
- Specialized training for frontline officers in our member countries;
- Investigative support for complex international cases;
- The INTERPOL Specialized Operational Network of experts on smuggling.
16- Vehicle crime
The INTERPOL Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database is a vital tool in the fight against international vehicle theft and trafficking. It includes data on stolen cars, trucks, motorbikes, trailers, caravans, buses and their components.
The database allows police in our member countries to run a check against a suspicious vehicle and find out instantly whether it has been reported as stolen. An international database of this nature is crucial as vehicles are often trafficked across national borders, sometimes ending up thousands of miles away from the location where they were stolen.
17- War crimes
Crimes such as genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes are of serious concern to the international community.
With its global networks and technical tools, the INTERPOL is in a unique position to enhance efforts of law enforcement authorities, international criminal tribunals and national prosecution services to investigate and seek justice for these criminal acts.
The INTERPOL provides operational and investigative support to these partner organizations and to war crimes and fugitive investigators in our member countries.
The INTERPOL promotes and facilitate access to our services, technical tools, resources and expertise in the area of serious international crimes. We also support our member countries and partner organizations by sharing information and coordinating international investigations.