AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw has bolstered the AFP's ability to target transnational serious organised crime, including cyber criminals, after meeting with senior officers from across the globe.
Commissioner Kershaw led a delegation of AFP executives to New Delhi, India, for the recent 90th INTERPOL General Assembly, the world's largest annual law enforcement meeting with representatives from more than 195 countries.
Key topics discussed at the four-day general event included financial crime, anti-corruption initiatives, cybercrime, crimes against children and a new database I-Familia, which uses family DNA matching to identify missing persons.
The delegation held more than 20 bilateral meetings on the assembly sidelines to discuss key AFP priorities of countering transnational serious organised crime and cybercrime, and improving intelligence sharing.
These meetings resulted in enhanced working relationships with our foreign law enforcement partners and a reaffirmation of our joint commitment to deliver maximum impact to the criminal environment both offshore and in Australia.
Through the AFP's international network and these trusted partnerships, the AFP is able to detect and prevent drugs coming to Australia, locate and extradite criminals and share important trends that directly impacting our communities in the space of child protection and cybercrime.
Commissioner Kershaw said international partnerships were key to helping keep Australians safe.
"The AFP's unique footprint globally presents us with the opportunity to form strong and trusted relationships with our law enforcement partners,'' Commissioner Kershaw said.
"These partnerships have helped us deliver maximum impact on the criminal environment in Australia, including in cyber, child exploitation, money laundering and transnational serious organised crime.
"We know that most illicit drugs sold in Australia are imported and up to 70 per cent of Australia's serious and organised crime threats are based offshore or have strong offshore links.
"The offshore disruption of criminal groups and infiltration of organised crime is a key part of our role and part of the solution."
The AFP delegation included Assistant Commissioner Crime Command Nigel Ryan; Assistant Commissioner Southern Command Krissy Barrett; Commander International Engagement Andrew Smith and Commander Asia Peter Sykora.
Bilateral meetings took place with senior police from: India, The Philippines, China, Turkiye, Hong Kong, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Vietnam, Ukraine, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Pakistan, Germany, Belgium, Italy, The Netherlands, Ireland, Colombia and Lebanon.
During the visit, the AFP also met with two key law enforcement agencies in India; the Narcotics Control Bureau and the National Investigation Agency.
Commissioner Kershaw said all countries shared a common purpose in strengthening cooperation and intelligence-sharing to ensure the safety of their nation.
AFP Commissioner also laid a wreath at the Indian National Police Memorial to honour more than 35,000 police personnel who have lost their lives while serving their country since independence.
