The AFP is strengthening ties across its international law enforcement network, with members travelling to Central Asia to foster new collaboration opportunities to assist Australian investigations.
The AFP will join a delegation of law enforcement partners, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), travelling to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to meet with local and international agencies.
The AFP's International Command consists of AFP members posted to 34 countries around the world.
AFP members based in Islamabad, Pakistan, will join the delegation to understand how the AFP can best work alongside and in partnership with these nations for future investigations.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Josh O'Connor said the expansion of the International Network is an important milestone for the AFP in combatting criminal groups offshore.
"This is a crucial opportunity for the AFP to meet with our counterparts in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to better understand how we can support their law enforcement efforts, including those with links to Australia," he said.
"The COVID-19 pandemic affected our opportunities to travel to neighbouring nations for these crucial engagement discussions. "We welcome the chance to build stronger ties and foster new opportunities for the AFP to collaborate in the future.
"Our law enforcement partnerships around the world are critical to the AFP's core work and focus, including in key crime areas such as transnational and serious organised crime, child protection, human trafficking, cyber crime and counter-terrorism."
