HK to host Interpol assembly, backing new criminal asset tracing syste

Hong Kong will host the 94th session of the Interpol General Assembly this month, where global police forces are expected vote on a new "Silver Notice" system to trace hidden criminal assets.

Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says the city will fully support the mechanism to help tackle scams and cross-border crime.

Some 1,000 delegates from nearly 200 member countries are set to descend upon Hong Kong for the 94th session of the Interpol General Assembly from November 30 to December 3, during which the organisation will seek approval to adopt a new "Silver Notice" system to trace hidden criminal assets.

The Interpol has been piloting the "Silver Notice" since early 2025, with Hong Kong joining in January this year.

Speaking on a TVB programme, Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says the new scheme can help facilitate cross-border asset tracing.

After we publish the Silver Notice, for other countries or jurisdictions, so they can also check whether there are any criminal assets going into their own countries.

Or put it in another way, maybe if someone, some countries, they said their entities, some entities that they have some criminal assets tracing, we can also check here in Hong Kong, whether this entity will have any access in Hong Kong.

As transnational syndicates are increasing leveraging AI to carry out scams, Chow says it has prompted the police to invest in developing its own artificial intelligence tools to cope with the evolving criminal landscape.

Say for example, we have the tool we call is "Rapid," using the AI function to detect any unused website that are built up for scamming others.

So we have in fact already detected like almost 6,000 these kind of website the scam syndicate have not yet used it.

But then, we will use another platform through the Interpol what we call is the "Operation Rapidstrike" to pass this information all over the world.

So that other countries they will also know, this website would be scam related.

Under the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre's 24/7 stop-payment mechanism, police have establish an international platform with some 15 other jurisdictions.

Whenever a crime is reported, officers will work with staff from banks to initiate action to try to recover the stolen funds.

With the Interpol General Assembly approaching, Chow hopes to strengthen transnational policing collaboration inspite current geopolitical tensions.

To be very honest, talking about combating crime is another issue apart from the geopolitical tensions.

Because everyone, all the police offices, we would like to protect our own citizens.

Chow says the growing prevalence of transnational crimes requires the international law enforcement community to come together.