The Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) supported INTERPOL’s Operation Storm Makers II – the first INTERPOL operation specifically to focus on combatting trafficking in persons into online scam centres. The operation, which involved coordination between law enforcement from 27 countries, resulted in 281 arrests, 149 victims of trafficking being rescued and 360 investigations.
“The results speak for themselves,” said Ryan Winch, the RSO’s Transnational Crime and Technology Programme Manager. “The diversity of countries participating, and the significant number of rescues and arrests resulting from the operation emphasise the scale of the online scam centre challenge, but, in a very positive signal, also demonstrate Member States’ clear interest in working together to address the issue.”
As part of a pre-operation capacity building exercise for law enforcement officers, Eun Jung Yi, the RSO’s Operational Capacity Building and Training Programme Manager provided a well-received training session on victim identification and screening, supporting law enforcement from participating countries in their preparations for the operation.
The RSO’s support for the Operation aligns with current priorities to respond to trafficking in persons into online scam centres and to support information sharing between law enforcement across Bali Process Member States. The RSO is aiming to scale up similar forms of law enforcement coordination through 2024 as it seeks to provide practical support to Member States in their efforts to address transnational crime and online scam centres.
For additional information on the Operation, please see INTERPOL press release here.
For additional context on trafficking into online scam centres, the RSOs policy brief on the issue can be found here.
