Interpol’s crime fight: 4,000 arrested and $1bn seized across Asia

In an interview with 'The National', Maj Gen Ahmed Al Raisi spells out new digital priorities as Asia’s criminals exploit modern technology

Maj Gen Ahmed Al Raisi, president of Interpol, speaks at its Asian Regional Conference in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Interpol is embracing the digital era to tackle financial fraud, cybercrimes and drug trafficking, its president Maj Gen Ahmed Al Raisi said on Thursday.

Ransomware attacks and drug trafficking are among Asia’s top crime threats, he told The National in an exclusive interview.

“Last year, in Asia alone, Interpol operations resulted in more than 4,000 suspects arrested and more than $1 billion (Dh3.6 billion) criminal assets intercepted," Maj Gen Al Raisi said.

"Cybercrime is dominating and my top priority is to shift Interpol to the digital era.”

During a recent Interpol Asian Regional Conference in Abu Dhabi, Maj Gen Al Raisi, Inspector General at the Ministry of Interior, spoke to more than 150 law enforcement officials from 42 countries about the region's pressing policing issues.

He said Asia's diversity was one of the greatest strengths in the fight against crime and highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration. One example highlighted of a successful Interpol operation was Lionfish V, where more than 1,300 arrests were made and 581kg of Captagon pills seized, with contributions from 22 countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Iraq and Jordan.

“In a world where crime knows no borders, Asia’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths,” he said.

“I am confident that the discussions in this room will shape the future of policing in Asia and beyond.”

Maj Gen Ahmed Al Raisi (2nd L) says criminals have invested in technology so police should always be one step ahead. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Increased reliance on technology

As Asian countries became more familiar with using technology in their daily life, cybercrime in the region has grown steadily.

“Every region has its challenges and we need to build a strategy for each region and each threat,” said Maj Gen Al Raisi.

Last year's Interpol Global Crime Trend Summary Report found that more than 60 per cent of respondents ranked crimes such as money laundering, ransomware, phishing and online scams as high or very high threats. More than 70 per cent of respondents also expect crimes such as ransomware and phishing attacks to increase or significantly increase in the next three to five years.

Maj Gen Al Raisi believes Interpol must reach a level that can challenge criminals in the digital age and that the organisation has made strides in this direction.

He said: “You can’t be advanced in fighting crimes unless you reach a level that can challenge criminals in that area.”

Whole database at your fingertips

Interpol recently launched the Interpol Mobile Device, a terminal that allows police officers worldwide to take fingerprints of suspects and match them with Interpol's database. Maj Gen Al Raisi said the device would bring the organisation into the future by ensuring that frontline officers have access to Interpol's database from anywhere, thus speeding up investigations.

The device is still in beta mode but he is confident that it holds great promise as it is being introduced across the world.

“It will help the officer to know if the person is wanted and has a red notice," he said. "It enables nimble investigations and live database checks quicker than ever before.

“My four decades’ experience in UAE was spent in digital era and IRIS recognition.”

Interpol's database contains more than 125 million records from law enforcement around the world, including information on firearms, stolen works of art, missing people and terrorist fighters.

The database is checked on average more than 16 million times each day, nearly 200 times per second, and every search represents a potential break in a case.

The Interpol Mobile Device can help to identify suspects behind crimes such as stolen cars or artworks. The organisation has also launched the ID-Art mobile app to help solve such crimes.

“Stolen arts are spreading worldwide because of the conflicts in many areas,” said Maj Gen Al Raisi. "The ID-Art mobile app helps to identify stolen cultural property, reduce illicit trafficking and increase the chances of recovering stolen items."

Utilising the metaverse

Interpol is committed to being ahead of the curve in innovation and technology, which criminals are harnessing to stay ahead of the police. To combat this, Interpol has built its own virtual reality space, where users can train and attend virtual meetings. The virtual academy can be accessed through secure servers and 10 countries have already signed agreements to use it.

“It is important for Interpol to not get left behind in technology,” Maj Gen Al Raisi said.

“Criminals try to be smart and use technology, they will use the metaverse, digital currency and dark web to be smarter than the police.

"They have the resources and money to invest in technology and we should be one step ahead.”

Interpol's Operation Lionfish: in pictures

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  More than Dh446 million worth of narcotics seized in coordinated drug bust across Middle East and Africa. Credit: Interpol

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  The Lionfish operation was coordinated by Interpol and resulted in the arrest of 287 individuals. Credit: Interpol

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  In South Africa, crystal meth bound for Australia was hidden in sandals and inside sculptures of animals. Credit: Interpol

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  The operations took place in March and April of this year, bringing together police and customs officials at borders and other hotspots. Credit: Interpol

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  Codenamed 'Operation Lionfish' and coordinated by Interpol, the bust was aimed at disrupting the trafficking of drugs in the region. Credit: Interpol

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  Operation Lionfish also shed light on the constantly changing methods used by criminals to transport the illicit substances. Credit: Interpol

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  In South Africa, crystal meth bound for Australia was hidden in sandals and inside sculptures of animals. Credit: Interpol

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  Other types of contraband were also discovered and confiscated during the operations, including live pangolins, uncut diamonds, illicit cigarettes and vehicles. Credit: Interpol

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  An estimated 100 million euro (Dh446 million) worth of narcotics was seized in coordinated drug bust across the Middle East and Africa