France: The annual Heads of National Central Bureaus (NCBs) meeting this week is focused on enhancing INTERPOL’s global network to counter transnational organized crime. With 321 police officials from 136 countries attending, the conference aims to expand access to INTERPOL’s global databases and promote operational criminal data sharing, building upon the priorities outlined in the Vienna Declaration. Alongside plenary panel discussions, delegates will engage in round tables for regional discussions on specific threats like cyber-enabled financial fraud, online child sexual exploitation, and terrorism.
INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi emphasized the importance of intelligence sharing and international collaboration among the organization’s 196 members. Secretary General Jürgen Stock highlighted recent operational successes, including Operation Storm Makers II and Operation Haechi IV, targeting human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and online financial crime.
Stressing the global and mobile nature of terrorism and organized crime, Stock underscored the crucial role of NCBs in coordinating responses at national, regional, and global levels. NCBs serve as the primary connection between national law enforcement agencies and INTERPOL, facilitating communication through a secure global police network. In 2023, INTERPOL NCBs exchanged over 18 million messages and conducted nearly eight billion queries on the organization’s global databases, demonstrating the magnitude of their operational activity.
