Senior police officers of the Interpol’s member countries have endorsed measures to boost the role of its National Central Bureaus (NCBs), in view of the evolving threats, technology and the pandemic shifting the foundations of police work.
In India, the CBI is the NCB for Interpol.
About 300 officers from 167 countries attended the Interpol’s 16th annual conference, held virtually from July 6 to 8.
They reviewed major initiatives, ranging from operational and investigative support to expanding the I-24/7 secure communications network to national police and border control agencies, said the Interpol in a statement.
These measures are aimed at optimising the performance and operational capacity of the NCBs, and to enhance international police cooperation through the Interpol channels against transnational crime and corruption.
“In spite of the pandemic, the number of records entrusted to Interpol by the NCBs over the past year has increased by 10% to reach a record 115 million, demonstrating their role at the heart of our global early warning system,” said Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
The meeting heard that ransomware activities generated $350 million in 2020, according to Chainalysis, a 311% increase over the previous year.
“A global strategy in response to the threat of ransomware is critical — one where we successfully build trust, see effective exchange of data, and maximise rapid operational assistance to law enforcement agencies,” said the Secretary General.
New insurgency phase
On terrorism, the Secretary General said the global threat was at the crossroads, with the territorial defeat of the IS opening up a new insurgency phase in West Asia, while in other critical theatres such as Africa, new groups had joined the terrorist movement, battling Al-Qaeda for supremacy.
“The meeting closed with a call for member countries to engage in regional partnerships based on reciprocal efforts to strengthen international police cooperation,” the Interpol said.
