Money laundering, cybercrime and illegal immigration are three main challenges the region faces as criminals use new technologies to try and escape from law enforcement agencies, said a top Interpol expert.

Thirteen Interpol experts from the Arab region are taking part in a three-day regional symposium, which opened at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bahrain yesterday (December 10), said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

A total of 60 Interior Ministry personnel are taking part in the symposium to learn best practices adopted by agencies abroad to tackle a new wave of crime and enhance police training systems.

"We need to share our best experience with our colleagues all over the globe to educate and train their staff on new patterns of crime that involves use of sophisticated technology," said Interpol's Capacity Building and Training Directorate, police training officer Raouf Atallah.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, he said the main focus of the world's largest police organisation in the region was to counter cybercrime and money laundering.

The symposium is being held under the patronage of Bahrain's Public Security chief Major-General Tariq Al Hassan, who asserted the importance of training to build the skills of policemen to enable them to carry out their duties with efficiency and competency to reinforce security and stability in societies.

"The cybercrime cases related to sexual crimes involving paedophiles is a concern along with money laundering, when it comes to this part of the region," said Atallah.

"Hackers are increasingly targeting websites and trying to get hold of sensitive information from databases."

The expert said like any Interpol member country, a National Central Bureau (NCB) was operating in Bahrain, linking local police with its global network.

"We have also created an "I-24/7" system for member countries, which allows them to access information from our database in seconds related to forged passport, stolen vehicles or criminal record if any of an individual."

Access

Authorised users will have direct access to databases on suspected criminals or wanted persons, stolen and lost travel documents, fingerprints, DNA profiles, stolen administrative documents, including stolen works of art.

"Within seconds with the help of our technologies, law enforcement agencies are benefitting and combating crime," added Atallah.

Maj-Gen Al Hassan said proper systems and budgets had been allocated by the ministry in various training and education fields covering Royal Academy of Police that contributed in the formation of two colleges, a research centre and training institute at the academy. The ministry has also allocated a training budget that resulted in 60 per cent of officers having higher education degrees. - TradeArabia News Service