INTERPOL Americas meeting reaffirms regional commitment to combating organized crime

NASSAU, Bahamas – INTERPOL’s Americas Regional Conference concluded with a call for increased cooperation in combating the multiple threats posed by organized crime networks and the associated increase in violence.

The meeting concluded with recommendations for increased activities:
• Protecting vulnerable communities from human trafficking, migrant smuggling and crimes against children
• Combating drug trafficking and organised crime
• address the rise in all forms of environmental crime, such as illegal mining, fishing, forestry and wildlife crime, and
• Combating vehicle crime, as it is increasingly linked to other crimes such as human trafficking in all forms, money laundering and corruption.

Senior police officials also stressed that increased use of the INTERPOL notification system to identify, locate and arrest members of criminal gangs was crucial to dismantling organised crime networks and uncovering possible links to terrorism.

Valdecy Urquiza, INTERPOL Vice President for the Americas and Chair of the Conference, said:

“Transnational criminal networks exploit the gaps between our systems and jurisdictions and grow stronger where we are divided. Through our joint efforts, we can close those gaps.

“This conference provided an opportunity to forge new partnerships, strengthen existing ones and consolidate the bonds of trust and cooperation that are crucial to combating crime at the regional and global levels.”

During the meeting, delegates were also informed about the results of cooperation through INTERPOL in combating financial crime and combating cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, as well as capacity-building programmes in the region.

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

“One important lesson from this meeting is that sharing works. Whether it is expertise or information, sharing brings results.

“This Conference of the Americas has further underscored the region’s commitment to regional and international police cooperation and provides a strong platform for even greater successes in the future.”

The three-day (September 11-13) conference brought together senior law enforcement officials from 35 countries in the Americas and around the world.