Transnational Crime Issues: ICPO-INTERPOL



Updated January 2, 2019
Transnational Crime Issues: ICPO-INTERPOL
Introduction
INTERPOL’s System of Notices
The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO)-
INTERPOL facilitates member state requests to share
INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police
critical crime-related information through a system of
organization, whose purpose is to enable cooperation on
international lookouts or advisories. Notice requests are
crime fighting and prevention matters worldwide. In 1938,
reviewed by INTERPOL’s General Secretariat prior to final
Congress authorized the United States to be an INTERPOL
publication. There are several types of notices, including
member (22 U.S.C. 263a). The United States is the largest
contributor to INTERPOL’s regular budget. In addition to
Red Notices, which seek the location and arrest of
funding, Congress has long maintained interest in several
wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar
aspects of INTERPOL’s activities, including its governance
action;
and membership, the scope of its policing authorities, and
Yellow Notices, which seek help in locating missing
the potential exploitation of its notice system through which
persons, including minors;
members share critical information.
Blue Notices, which seek additional information about a
Structure and Governance
person’s identity, location, or activities in relation to a
INTERPOL is headquartered in Lyon, France, and a total of
crime;
194 countries are INTERPOL members, including the

United States. New members are accepted into INTERPOL
Green Notices, which provide warnings about criminals
by majority vote. Countries interface with INTERPOL
who are likely to repeat crimes in other countries;
headquarters through National Central Bureaus (NCBs).
Black Notices, which seek information on unidentified
INTERPOL Washington, which is the primary NCB for the
bodies;
United States, is organizationally a component of the U.S.

Department of Justice (DOJ) and is co-managed with the
Orange Notices, which warn of a serious and imminent
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
threat to public safety;
Purple Notices, which seek information or provide
INTERPOL’s activities are governed by the decisions of its
information on methods, technologies, and modus
General Assembly, which meets annually, and by a 13-
operandi used by criminals; and
member panel of elected delegates, called the Executive
Committee. The current President of the Executive
INTERPOL-U.N. Security Council Special Notices,
Committee, Kim Jong Yang of South Korea, was elected in
which identify targets of U.N. Security Council
November 2018 after the previous President (Meng
Sanctions Committees.
Hongwei of China) was detained in China on charges of
Table 1. INTERPOL Notices Issued, Selected Years
corruption; none of the current delegates represent the
United States. The General Secretariat serves as the

2001
2006
2011
2016
permanent administrative body of the organization and is
led by the Secretary General. The current Secretary General
Red
1,490
2,804
7,678
12,878
is Jürgen Stock of Germany. In addition, the Executive
Yellow
142
316
1,059
2,675
Committee may appoint technical advisors of international
renown, upon confirmation by the General Assembly.
Blue
62
359
705
4,129
Green
9
676
1,132
930
Oversight and monitoring of INTERPOL’s activities is
conducted by the Commission for the Control of Files
Black
71
114
104
123
(CCF). Its primary task is to ensure that the processing of
Orange
0
9
31
48
personal data (e.g., names, fingerprints, and DNA
profiles—including data contained in INTERPOL notices)
Purple
0
0
8
106
is in compliance with applicable INTERPOL rules, which
INTERPOL-UN
0
278
30
33
are intended to protect fundamental rights of individuals,
including those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of
Source: INTERPOL annual reports and website.
Human Rights (Article 2 of INTERPOL’s constitution).
Notes: According to INTERPOL’s 2017 annual report, 13,048 red
The CCF also ensures that INTERPOL data are consistent
notices were issued in 2017, amounting to a total of 52,103 valid red
with Article 3 of its constitution, which stipulates that “it is
notices in circulation; this includes 6,620 public red notices.
strictly forbidden for the Organization to undertake any
intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or
Similar to notices, diffusions are standardized requests for
racial character.”
cooperation and alerts on specific law enforcement matters.
Unlike notices, which are disseminated to the entire
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Transnational Crime Issues: ICPO-INTERPOL
INTERPOL membership, diffusions may be circulated
accessing, correcting, and/or deleting data processed by
directly by an NCB to another member country or set of
INTERPOL. The CCF Statute entered into force in March
countries. The issuance and circulation of INTERPOL
2017, when new CCF Operating Rules were adopted.
notices and diffusions has increased in the past decade—an
uptick most apparent since 2009, when INTERPOL began
Still, international and congressional scrutiny over the use
allowing members to electronically submit international
and potential abuse of INTERPOL’s system of notices
alerts for wanted persons. With the advent of digital
continues. A key related issue is how to balance protections
publication, each NCB bears more responsibility to ensure
of individual rights in the accumulation and dissemination
lawful use and quality of information and requests shared
of accurate criminal information while also serving the
on INTERPOL’s network.
international law enforcement community with a modern
and timely platform to request and respond to global
Table 2. INTERPOL Diffusions Issued, Selected Years
criminal issues.

2001
2006
2011
2016
Congressional Spotlight: Russian Abuse of
INTERPOL’s Notice System. Some policymakers and
Diffusions
15,895
12,212
15,640
26,645
observers are exploring options to address purported misuse
Source: INTERPOL annual reports and website.
of INTERPOL’s system of notices. In the 115th Congress,
S. 3336 (introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham) included a
Policing Authorities
provision targeting Russia. If enacted, the bill would have
Although INTERPOL’s General Secretariat is staffed in
sought to limit Russia’s ability to issue red notices and
part by law enforcement personnel on loan from national
diffusions and prevent them from having an effect on U.S.
or foreign persons’ access to U.S. government services or
police entities, INTERPOL does not retain or globally
deploy its own police force with autonomous authority to
programs, including requests for asylum and visas.
arrest or detain anybody in any country. Its primary
Membership and Observer Status
functions center on law enforcement information sharing
through its worldwide encrypted communications platform,
In recent years, the United States has expressed views on
and maintenance of its criminal databases on dangerous
membership and participation in INTERPOL, with respect
criminals, fugitives, missing persons, and other
to Taiwan (P.L. 114-139 instructed the Secretary of State to
transnational threats. INTERPOL also facilitates police
develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in
capacity building and training, as well as technical
INTERPOL), Palestine (despite U.S. opposition, members
admitted the “State of Palestine” into the organization in
assistance in specialized areas such as forensics and
criminal intelligence analysis.
2017), and Kosovo (not universally recognized as an
independent state, its most recent bid in 2018 to join
At the request of member countries, INTERPOL can send
INTERPOL failed, despite U.S. support).
“response teams” composed of specialized staff to support
U.S. Membership Dues
national police during a crisis situation, such as a disaster or
major crime, or in preparation for a major event, such as a
Resources required for U.S. participation in INTERPOL
may rise, as INTERPOL’s assessed dues on the United
high-profile conference or sporting event. With the
cooperation of international partners, INTERPOL can also
States increase. For FY2019, INTERPOL Washington
coordinate and support law enforcement operations.
requested $34.403 million in Commerce, Justice, Science,
Whether through response teams or operations support,
and Related Agencies appropriations. The request takes into
INTERPOL’s role in such activities is to promote
account $16.9 million in estimated INTERPOL
international cooperation by facilitating access to
membership dues for 2019—up from approximately $1.7
INTERPOL’s tools and services.
million in dues for 2001 (in FY2016, U.S. membership dues
totaled $10.96 million). Additional U.S. foreign aid
Selected Issues for Congress
contributions to specific INTERPOL programs and
As Congress continues its oversight of U.S. participation in
activities are provided through Department of State,
INTERPOL, possible issues of interest may include
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations.
INTERPOL membership, use of notices and diffusions, and
costs of participation in INTERPOL.
In light of the decision to allow Palestinian membership,
some in Congress may seek to further scrutinize U.S.
Use and Potential Abuse of INTERPOL’s Notices
funding for INTERPOL. According to INTERPOL
INTERPOL’s notice system, particularly the issuance of
Washington, resource pressure is also driven in part by “the
Red Notices and diffusions, has been criticized by human
unprecedented growth of transnational criminal and terrorist
organizations” and “corresponding demand for int
rights activists for allegedly allowing governments to abuse
ernational
it and for insufficient protections against such abuse. Some
law enforcement cooperation and timely access to law
enforcement intelligence worldwide.”
groups allege that some governments are issuing red notices

and diffusions to target political opponents, as well as
refugees and asylum seekers. In the latter case, asylum
Liana W. Rosen, Specialist in International Crime and
status may be protected from disclosure by domestic
Narcotics
confidentiality laws, limiting INTERPOL’s ability to
identify problematic notices. To this end, CCF adopted a
IF10766
new governing statute in November 2016, which updated
its mandate and sought to improve the process for
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Transnational Crime Issues: ICPO-INTERPOL


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