INTERPOL

Leading the global fight against organized crime We believe that that transnational law enforcement forms the bedrock of global security. Our first issue of INTERPOL Spotlight looks at how we disrupt organized crime globally, targeting their networks and their money to support a safer world for all. ⬇️

🚨 A major global human trafficking operation detects 1,194 potential victims and arrests 158 suspects. The global crackdown focused on trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced criminality and forced begging, with a special focus on underage victims. Operation Global Chain engaged nearly 15,000 officers from 43 countries and involved police, border guards, labour inspectors, as well as tax and customs authorities. The operation was led by law enforcement in Austria 🇦🇹 and Romania 🇷🇴, with coordination and support from INTERPOL, Europol and Frontex. Potential victims were reported from 64 countries, with the majority coming from Romania, Ukraine, Colombia and China. Many victims had been trafficked across borders, and even continents, underlying the transnational nature of human trafficking schemes. The majority of sexual exploitation victims identified were adult females. In contrast, underage victims were more commonly exploited through forced begging or forced criminal activities such as pickpocketing. As investigations continue, an additional 205 human trafficking suspects have been identified. 📷 Romanian police officers were deployed to Switzerland to conduct joint actions. 📷 In Ukraine, one female suspect was arrested for trafficking potential victims to Berlin for sexual exploitation. 📷 Brazilian police rescued a victim in southeast Asia via an INTERPOL Blue Notice. 📷 Moldovan police were among the nearly 15,000 participating officers worldwide. 📷 Albania seized weapons and safeguarded three Chinese victims of sexual exploitation who had been trafficked from Dubai. Read more ➡️🔗https://lnkd.in/dUbf_6M2

Los Depredadores del Oriente, an organized crime group specialized in wildlife trafficking, has been dismantled by Policía Nacional del Perú's Dirección de Medio Ambiente, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and INTERPOL. The group engaged in the illegal trafficking of wildlife - including snakes, sloths and monkeys.

Strengthening international partnerships is key to tackling global challenges.

Leading the global fight against organized crime We believe that that transnational law enforcement forms the bedrock of global security. Our first issue of INTERPOL Spotlight looks at how we disrupt organized crime globally, targeting their networks and their money to support a safer world for all. ⬇️

Organized crime, financial crime, cybercrime, counterterrorism – none can be tackled in isolation. Some highlights from INTERPOL’s second Partners Conference, Investing in a Safer World.

The problem with drones and policing the lower airspace. As Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) – or drones – become more accessible, law enforcement agencies find themselves confronted with the task of policing the lower airspace. In addition to commercial and recreational use, drones can be used for criminal activities such as filming in restricted areas, smuggling drugs and other contraband, carrying out terrorist operations, and disrupting critical infrastructure (for example, airports). Law enforcement officers need to be able to select the appropriate technology to detect, track and intervene when an illicit drone enters the airspace. While a number of commercial solutions are available for these purposes, there is no standardized approach for assessing, testing and comparing the technology, which makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to make the most appropriate choice for different policing scenarios. Project Courageous has developed a standardized methodology for testing and selecting countermeasure systems that can be used to detect and track a drone that enters protected airspace or a no-fly zone. This methodology will be based on a series of standard scenarios that represent a wide range of locations and situations, for example, security at prisons, airports, critical infrastructure and borders, and countering drug and human trafficking. ➡️🔗 https://lnkd.in/dXFpiDeD Academia ASRO Belgian Federal Police Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet Hellenic Police Military University of Technology Ministerio del Interior TNO European Commission Center for Security Studies (KEMEA) Royal Military Academy, Belgium Facultad de Derecho Universidad de Sevilla

Human trafficking-fueled scam centres have expanded their global footprint, according to a new crime trend update released by INTERPOL. 🔵 As of March 2025, victims from 66 countries were trafficked into online scam centres, with no continent left untouched. 🔵 74% of human trafficking victims were brought to centres in the original ‘hub’ region of Southeast Asia, according to analysis of the crime trend using data from relevant INTERPOL Notices issued in the past five years. 🔵 However, online scam centres have increasingly been observed in other regions, including the Middle East, West Africa – which could be developing into a new regional hub – and Central America. 🔵 While approximately 90% of human trafficking facilitators were from Asia, 11% were from South America or Africa. 🔵 80% of facilitators were men, and 61% were aged between 20 and 39 years old. Read more ➡️🔗 https://lnkd.in/emYnKWua

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Record 769 arrests and USD 65 million in illicit pharmaceuticals seized in global bust.💊 An INTERPOL-coordinated operation across 90 countries has resulted in the seizure of 50.4 million doses of illicit pharmaceuticals, highlighting the alarming scale of the global trade in unapproved and counterfeit medicines. Operation Pangea XVII, which took place from December 2024 to May 2025, saw the arrest of 769 suspects and the dismantling of 123 criminal groups worldwide. The seizures and arrests are the largest in the operation’s 17-year history. Nervous system agents, including psychostimulants, anti-anxiety drugs, and medications for Parkinson’s disease, topped the list as the most seized product type, with erectile dysfunction medicines, the second highest. ➡️🔗