Date: 19/10/2022

Relevance: GS-2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Relevance: GS-3: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Key Phrases: Global policing system, International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), General Assembly of Interpol, Interpol mechanisms and resources in fighting crimes.

Context:

• The 90th General Assembly of Interpol is being held in NewDelhi which is significant for India as it coincides with celebrations for the 75th year of India's independence
• In 2015, the Global Focal Point conference held by Interpol, CBI and the World Bank jointly was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India.
  • He had called upon everyone to ensure and check financial crimes.
  • Today the challenges are beyond financial crimes and criminality is rising across the globe in recent years.
• This calls for formulating strategies to tackle the growing menace of crimes with transnational ramifications.

Increased crimes across the globe is a reality

• The areas of concern are growing all over the world from human trafficking to disturbing instances of financial crimes by the high and mighty.
• Safe haven provided to fugitives accused of terrorism and money laundering.
• The proliferation of illicit trade based on counterfeiting, smuggling and terrorism funding.
• Transnational organized crime continues to thrive due to illicit networks that operate on the strength of money laundering.
• Sporadic instances of massacres, gruesome killings of young children due to the proliferation of gun culture, exploitation and abuse of children and women.
• Targeting the elderly for identity theft and swindling of their income are becoming commonplace.

What are the challenges faced by police forces?

• The police forces have to act with restraint, within the boundaries of legal procedures in a democratic polity.
• Lawbreakers enjoy the ease of mobility and access to the internet.
• There is no diminishing trend of threats including rising spectre of transnational, cyber and organized crime within sight.
• There is a lack of coordination among Police forces the world over.
  • Even the coordinated forces such as the Interpol do not have powers to sanction a country that refuses to cooperate and implement international law.

Interpol resources in fighting crimes

• Interpol uses 19 databases and tools for issuing alerts, sharing information about criminals and their modus operandi.
• It has a huge repository of fingerprints, DNA profiles, facial recognition kits, cyber-enabled financial crimes, and property crimes, among others.
• Interpol’s global security architecture is used in providing information on crimes in the digital space, preventing abuse of cyberspace and stalling hackers on the dark web.
• Interpol issues colour-coded notices - Red, yellow, blue, black, orange, green and purple depending on the nature of the crime.

Interpol has contributed extensively

• Interpol has undertaken operations relating to trafficking of women and children, cybercrimes, online piracy, spurious pharmaceuticals, narcotics smuggling, illegal gun trade, missing persons, stolen and lost travel documents across the globe.
• India has benefitted through Interpol Criminal Information System and this helped in finding stolen and lost travel documents, works of art and international child sexual exploitation.
• A large number of red corner notices have been issued at the request of Indian law enforcement, resulting in the detention of several accused and convicted fugitives.
• India has been involved in productive engagements over the years and several operations have been undertaken by the CBI with Interpol.

Why is the General Assembly significant for India?

• The 90th General Assembly has many fold significance as it is being held in Amrit Kaal.
• India becoming the fifth-largest economy in the world, and on the path to becoming the third-largest in the near future.
• India has created a positive impact by bringing down terrorist-related violence.
• India is now an acknowledged technology powerhouse coupled with the demographic dividend of a technology-oriented workforce in startups that can be utilized for upgrading the security architecture.
• Indian skill development resources through capacity building programmes run by the CBI training academy are used periodically by the international police fraternity across Asia and Africa.

Way forward

• Interpol is required to articulate an expansion beyond its databases and tools.
• There is a need to create infrastructure which is capable of real-time dissemination of information obtained through unbiased usage of data analytics.
• Equitable significance should be accorded to the legitimate interests of growing economies pursuing democratic charters.
• Interpol action against notorious fugitives is consequential upon commensurate action from member nations where the fugitives might be seeking shelter.
  • There is a need to equip Interpol with powers where it can act on its own and sanction member countries for their non-actions.

Conclusion

• As the Interpol turns 100 years next year it is time to calibrate to counter emergent challenges.
• Public-spirited efficient policing is the most meaningful confidence-building measure that people across diverse geopolitical contours desire and deserve.
• Therefore the need of the hour is that Interpol and law enforcement agencies of member nations must endeavour to build, maintain and operate a people-centric ecosystem to meet the evolving challenges.

Source: Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. “Public-spirited efficient policing is the most meaningful confidence-building measure that people across diverse geopolitical contours desire and deserve.” In light of the statement critically examine the role of Interpol in the global policing system. (250 words).