Valdecy Urquiza

Just days after the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna, the 41st Latin American Congress on Banking Security (CELAES), organized by Felaban and Febraban, reinforced a clear message: financial fraud is central to transnational organized crime.   In 2025, global losses reached an estimated USD 442 billion - likely an undercount, as much goes unreported.   The threat is dangerous not only for its scale, but for the speed at which it evolves, along with its severe human impact.   No single institution can face this alone.   INTERPOL’s Gateway Initiative connects law enforcement, cybersecurity firms and the banking sector to share malware samples and link investigations across borders, turning isolated cases into coordinated global action.   But ad hoc efforts are not enough. We need structured, routine partnerships.   Imagine if banks, telecoms and fintechs shared threat indicators as naturally as they report suspicious transactions.   This is not someone else’s challenge. It is ours - and what we build at forums like this Congress and the Global Fraud Summit will determine whether we can keep pace with the threat.

Our member countries have been unequivocal: fraud has become one of INTERPOL’s top operational priorities. For me, the one message we have to take away from this Global Fraud Summit is not just that we need to act. But that we can act. Right away. If we look at the Call to Action, many of the recommended steps can happen straight away. They don’t need a new platform for us to deliver immediate, impactful results. INTERPOL provides a trusted, neutral platform for 196 member countries, and trusted partners like the UNODC and the European Commission, to share intelligence to fully understand the threat, and to work together to combat it. We can start with a default operational decision that fraud is a cross-border threat. From today. We can start sharing more intelligence to INTERPOL’s secure environment to further enhance our criminal assessments. Straight away. We can rely on INTERPOL’s established communications networks to reach out to partner agencies and to check our data holdings. Right now. We have the capabilities, the tools and the expertise. What we need is the energy and commitment to fully use them.

Worldwide losses related to financial fraud in 2025 alone have been estimated at USD 442 billion - and our Global Financial Fraud Assessment shows that the threat is accelerating.   We need to target the main criminal actors, make fraud harder to commit and make it less profitable.   That’s why the support announced at the Global Fraud Summit by the UK’s Fraud Minister @RTHondavehanson for INTERPOL’s Shadow Storm Task Force is so critical.   This initiative will bring together all the key links in the various chains to streamline intelligence, identify suspects, disrupt financial flows and dismantle criminal networks.

@INTERPOL_HQ @UNODC @RTHondavehanson @EUHomeAffairs @matildaalomatu @magnusbrunner We need to turn the discussions we’ve had today into concrete actions. We need to act.

Setting the stage for strategic discussions at the #GlobalFraudSummit Leaders from @EUHomeAffairs, France, Ghana, United Kingdom, @INTERPOL_HQ and @UNODC examine the evolving global fraud landscape, share priorities and responses to fraud, exchange experiences, and explore opportunities for coordinated, evidence-based action.

➡️ Join us today for the UNODC-INTERPOL #GlobalFraudSummit Governments, law enforcement and the private sector are joining forces to strengthen the fight against organized fraud. Follow the plenary session live: bit.ly/GFS_16

The next two days of the #GlobalFraudSummit are a critical opportunity. We’re here because fraud doesn’t wait: It crosses borders It deceives people And it harms businesses The threat is real and is growing. Looking forward to getting this important event under way with co-host @UNODC Acting Executive Director John Brandolino, and the UK’s Fraud Minister, Lord Hanson.

With the @INTERPOL_HQ -UNODC #GlobalFraudSummit starting tomorrow, was good to meet with our teams who have been working hard behind the scenes to bring this event to life. This summit is both timely and necessary. By bringing together the relevant actors we can take decisive action in tackling the evolving scale and complexity of fraud.

Transnational serious and organized crime is evolving fast - and the threat landscape is shifting with it. The UK’s National Crime Agency’s 2025 assessment confirms the global picture: crime is changing. Serious and organized crime continues to cause more harm to more people and costs the UK economy an estimated GBP 47 billion. And with more than 90 per cent of crimes in the UK in 2024 estimated to involve a digital element, the need for stronger international cooperation has never been clearer. It was a pleasure to meet with @NCA_UK Director General Graeme Biggar, Director Will Middleton and Head of NCB Manchester Kathryn Clarke to discuss how we can further strengthen the UK’s strategic use of INTERPOL’s databases and enhance cross-border information sharing to support stronger operational outcomes. The UK has long been one of @INTERPOL_HQ's strongest supporters and a key partner in the global fight against serious and organized crime - especially in combating fraud. Today’s discussion is another step toward an even more responsive, connected and impactful partnership between INTERPOL, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the UK government as a whole.

INTERPOL duty stations around the world are being lit up in blue to honour those who have lost their lives protecting their communities.   Every day around the world, police officers put on a uniform, say goodbye to their families, and walk towards uncertainty, towards a moment that may change their lives forever. But they go anyway.   Saturday 7 March, the International Day of Remembrance for Fallen Police Officers is an opportunity to remember the men and women who chose to serve their communities – and who gave everything in that service.   At its core, policing is a duty. And sometimes, it demands the ultimate sacrifice.   Behind every badge, there are people who share that burden - partners, parents, children - who, in the hardest moments, must carry the loss that service can bring.   And when one officer falls, the loss is felt by the entire policing community.   Across borders, languages, and uniforms. It is a bond that reminds us that no officer stands alone.   We honour their sacrifice with gratitude and pride.

🔵 Iconic structures and landmarks across the world are lighting up in INTERPOL blue to mark the International Day of Remembrance for Fallen Officers, in a unified tribute to those who have given their lives in the service of peace and justice. As daylight moves across the globe, each illumination is taking place in turn, connecting distant communities in shared remembrance. Led by INTERPOL's member countries, this initiative serves as a visual testament to the universal nature of police service. #FallenOfficers - A thread ⬇️

Today INTERPOL staff gathered for a ceremony to honour police officers around the world who have given their lives in service. We carry forward their legacy through our daily work. #FallenOfficers

To every police officer, thank you for your commitment to serve.   To your families and loved ones: your support does not go unnoticed.

Borders are under pressure like never before. This week I had the privilege of addressing the 4th Ministerial Summit of the Latin American Committee on Internal Security in Chile. The meeting, under the theme “Border Management and Migration Flows,” comes at a crucial moment. Migration patterns across the Americas are shifting in volume, routes and methods. Smugglers are adapting. Traffickers are evolving. Criminal networks are exploiting gaps between jurisdictions, taking advantage of fragmented systems to remain invisible. Countries of origin, transit and destination are all feeling the same pressure. In this environment, no country can operate in isolation. And where global reach may seem limited or challenging, INTERPOL can, and will, support. Our role is clear: to be the connective tissue that links national systems and the vital data they contain across regions. In 2025, INTERPOL systems were queried 9.2 billion times at borders worldwide - that’s 25 million times a day, nearly 300 times per second. That same year Latin America recorded half a million matches to its records and the European Union recorded almost 400,000 with each query performed in less than half a second. It’s the half-second before the frontline officer makes a decision that could prevent a terrorist from entering, a fugitive from fleeing, or a child from being trafficked. Our databases - from lost or stolen travel documents to fugitives, persons of interest, stolen vehicles, and document authentication - are operational lifelines. Just as @Europol brings depth in Europe, @AmeripolOrg brings regional proximity, and CLASI brings political will; INTERPOL brings scale, speed and global reach. We have a tremendous opportunity before us - to close gaps, to strengthen cooperation, and to ensure that borders are not weak points but opportunities for coordinated security. INTERPOL is ready to seize it.

Chile continues to stand at the forefront of regional and global law enforcement cooperation - a key partner of INTERPOL and a strategic hub in the fight against transnational organized crime across Latin America and the Caribbean.   During my mission to Santiago, I had productive exchanges with Minister of Public Security Luis Cordero Vega on Chile’s priorities and on INTERPOL’s new regional Task Forces, designed around the needs of our member countries.   With Policía de Investigaciones Director General Eduardo Cerna Lozano we discussed how to build on our cooperation against human trafficking, migrant smuggling and international fugitives.   Honoured to address the First Institutional High Command Forum at Chile’s Police Academy, and proud to sign the agreement welcoming the Academy into the INTERPOL Global Academy Network, further strengthening capacity-building across the region.   And finally, a visit to INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Santiago to meet the dedicated professionals whose daily work connects Chile with the global law enforcement community.   Chile’s commitment to information-sharing, best practices, and active use of INTERPOL tools makes it an indispensable partner as we remain Together Against Crime.

Proud to see this new INTERPOL–Brazil agreement come to life. This Task Force is going to further strengthen law enforcement cooperation targeting organized crime across South America and beyond, and I’m confident it will make a real difference in keeping communities safer.

I had the privilege to lead INTERPOL’s Crimes Against Children team several years ago, and saw firsthand just how dedicated they are to identifying and rescuing victims around the world. Truly inspiring work.

At #MSC2026 I saw how central law enforcement has become to the global security conversation. INTERPOL's role becomes even more essential, because if police can't share data on drug trafficking or people smuggling because of political tensions, the criminals win by default.

This agreement with France paves the way for the expansion and modernization of the General Secretariat headquarters, enabling the Organization to welcome up to 1,500 staff by 2031 and reinforcing its commitment to global security and the Lyon economy.

With the longstanding relationship between INTERPOL and the Bamberg (Bavaria 🇩🇪) Public Prosector’s Office, it was a pleasure to welcome Attorney General Wolfgang Gründler to our headquarters. An opportunity for us to discuss areas for continued cooperation, particularly in combating cybercrime.

It was a pleasure to welcome Justin Kelly, Commissioner of An Garda Síochána. Ireland 🇮🇪 is a key partner for INTERPOL, and our close cooperation has delivered concrete results, especially in relation to combating organized crime – including assistance in the largest cocaine seizure in Irish history in 2023. Building on this strong foundation will be essential as we respond to evolving global security challenges.