The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has launched its first Silver Notice, a pilot initiative to trace and recover assets laundered across international borders.

About the First Silver Notice

• The Notice, requested by Italy, seeks information on the assets belonging to a senior member of the mafia.

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About Silver Notice

• New Addition to Alert System: The Silver Notice is the latest addition to Interpol’s colour-coded alert system, aimed at enhancing global cooperation in combating financial crimes.
• Purpose: The notice assists member countries in identifying, locating, and recovering criminally obtained assets. These assets may include:
  • Properties
  • Vehicles
  • Financial accounts
  • Businesses
• Scope of Criminal Activities: Silver Notices are particularly useful in cases linked to:
  • Fraud
  • Corruption
  • Drug Trafficking
  • Environmental Crimes
• Pilot Phase: The pilot program for the Silver Notice will run until November 2025, during which its effectiveness and operational feasibility will be evaluated.
  • The pilot project involves 52 countries, including India.

How Does It Work?

• Requesting Information: Member countries can request details about assets suspected to be linked to criminal activities.
  • These requests facilitate the tracing of cross-border transactions and properties associated with crimes.
• Identification and Action: The Silver Notice helps locate such assets, enabling member countries to take legal actions like:
  • Seizure
  • Confiscation
• Actions are taken in compliance with each country’s national laws.
• General Secretariat Review: Before issuance, the Interpol General Secretariat thoroughly reviews each notice to ensure it:
  • Complies with Interpol’s organisational rules.
  • Prevents misuse for political or unlawful purposes.

Significance of Silver Notice

• Global Financial Crime Control: The Silver Notice strengthens international efforts to combat money laundering and other financial crimes.
• Enhanced Bilateral Cooperation: Under Silver Notice, Countries may subsequently use information received by issuing the notice  as a basis for bilateral engagement, including bilateral requests for seizure, confiscation or recovery of assets, subject to national laws
• Enhanced Cooperation: By involving 52 countries, the initiative fosters stronger cooperation among member nations in recovering criminal assets.

About International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)

• Purpose: Facilitates international police cooperation to combat cross-border crimes like terrorism, trafficking, and organized crime.
• Establishment Year: 1923.
• Member: 196 member countries.
  • India’s Membership: India has been a member since 1956.
• Status: Independent international organization, not part of the United Nations system.
• Headquarters: Located in Lyon, France.
• Official Languages: Arabic, English, French, and Spanish.
• Role in Investigations: Acts as the first point of contact for international investigations but does not actively investigate crimes.
• Communication System: Member countries are connected through Interpol’s communication system, I-24/7, facilitating real-time contact and access to Interpol’s databases.
• Databases: Interpol manages 19 databases containing information on crimes and criminals, accessible to member countries.

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Types of Notices

• 9 types of notices ( 8 of which are colour-coded):  In the form of alerts/requests allowing police in member countries to share critical crime-related information.
• These notices are issued by the Interpol’s General Secretariat at the request of a member country’s Interpol National Central Bureau, and are made available for all member countries

Organizational Structure Of INTERPOL

• General Assembly:
  • Supreme decision-making body with one delegate from each member country.
  • Decisions are taken during annual meetings.
• General Secretariat:
  • Operates under a Secretary General, who manages day-to-day operations.
  • Secretary General’s Term: Five years, appointed by the General Assembly.
• Executive Committee:
  • It has 13 members, each representing a different region.
  • Oversees the implementation of General Assembly decisions and supervises the work of the Secretary General.
• National Central Bureau (NCB):
  • Each member country has an NCB, acting as the central point of contact with INTERPOL and other NCBs globally.
  • NCBs are managed by police officials and are typically housed in the government ministry responsible for policing (in India’s case, the Union Home Ministry).
  • In India, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) serves as the NCB.

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