Call for Taiwan’s substantive participation in INTERPOL

Photo by Winston Chen on Unsplash

Enhancing joint efforts to combat transnational crime through real-time intelligence exchange

Founded in 1923, INTERPOL currently has 196 member states, making it the world’s second-largest international organization after the United Nations. INTERPOL is an essential platform for global law enforcement cooperation. It closely monitors transnational criminal activity including terrorism, cybercrime, and organized crime, and conducts exchanges with law enforcement agencies worldwide through its network of National Central Bureaus.

INTERPOL’s mandate is to ensure and promote the widest possible mutual assistance between all criminal police authorities. Yet, for more than four decades, Taiwan has been unjustly excluded from the organisation for political reasons.

Taiwan’s law enforcement authorities have extensive experience and expertise in crime prevention, public safety, and international cooperation. They have achieved significant success in areas such as combating drug smuggling and cyberfraud, earning Taiwan a strong reputation in the international community. 

However, Taiwan is unable to access INTERPOL’s databases, participate in its events, and share information with other countries in real time. This hampers Taiwan’s ability to counter transnational crime, encourages criminals to expand cross-border activities, and undermines the security of Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, and the rest of the world.

Globalization has accelerated the transnational development of crime. Criminals and illicit assets can move swiftly across borders, meaning that drug smuggling, human trafficking, cybercrime, and other illegal activities are not confined to individual countries or regions, but are challenges facing the whole international community. 

At a time when crime is becoming increasingly globalised and sophisticated, it is imperative for the world’s police to work together to build a seamless and inclusive global security network. Enhanced international cooperation is needed to effectively combat cross-border illegal activity and safeguard global stability. Taiwan’s participation in INTERPOL would enable countries to coordinate their efforts in an unimpeded manner, confront common threats, and uphold public safety and order.

Taiwan’s strong capabilities in combating crime
According to the Numbeo global database, Taiwan ranks fourth in safety among 147 countries worldwide. Taiwan’s high placement is due to its low crime rate, strong sense of community, effective law enforcement, and close civic cooperation with the police. Taiwan’s crime rate is just over 1,200 reported incidents per 100,000 people, with homicide at only 2.3 per 100,000—far below the global average. This internationally recognized public safety record sets an important benchmark for law enforcement policymakers around the world, and makes Taiwan an attractive destination for international travelers.

As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan is ready to play a full part in fighting transnational crime, contributing to criminal investigations, and working with partner countries to protect the safety and property of people around the world. 

Supporting Taiwan to close the gap in the global security network
Taiwan has had success in combating telecom fraud, drug trafficking, and other cross-border crimes. In the fisheries sector, it has long-term experience in identifying vessels involved in human trafficking; forced labour; and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. 

But without access to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 global police communications system, Taiwan cannot share urgent information and join coordinated enforcement efforts in real time. Delays in reporting can lead to loss of evidence, failure to apprehend suspects, and unnecessary suffering of victims. Taiwan’s absence undermines the international law enforcement framework and creates a significant gap in global security. This should be recognised as a matter of serious concern.

Taiwan is a reliable law enforcement partner for countries worldwide
In recent years, fraud and other financial crimes have become increasingly transnational. Scam syndicates have shifted operations to such countries as Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. Victims from around the world have been lured to the region through false promises of travel and employment, only to be trapped in scam centers where they are forced to carry out financial crimes. Some are even sexually exploited, sold to other criminal groups, or trafficked for organ harvesting. 

A crime trend update published by INTERPOL on June 30 warned of the globalization of human trafficking-fueled scam centers. The report noted that as of March, people from 66 countries across all five continents had been trafficked into such operations, with the estimated number of victims running into the hundreds of thousands.

Taiwan’s police have the experience, expertise, and capacity to assist in combating and preventing such crimes. In 2024, Taiwan broke up an online forum for large-scale distribution of child sexual exploitation materials called the Creative Private Room. The message board, which had over 5,000 members, enabled the easy exchange of child sexual exploitation content, using cryptocurrency payments to evade detection by law enforcement agencies. The platform’s mastermind, known online as Lao Ma, was based in China. The case involved encrypted communications, anonymous networks, cryptocurrency laundering, and cross-border coordination—all key challenges that the international community faces in combating online abuse of children. The investigation highlighted Taiwan’s determination and capacity to tackle cybercrime as well as underscoring its commitment and readiness to cooperate with the international community to protect children and combat transnational sexual exploitation.

Global call for Taiwan’s substantive participation in INTERPOL
In an article published on September 5, entitled “Taiwan’s INTERPOL Exclusion Undermines Global Policing Efforts,” Dr. John Coyne of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute argued that Taiwan was an important and capable partner in the Indo-Pacific region. He pointed out that its ports, airlines, and banking system were prime targets for transnational criminals. Dr. Coyne stated that Taiwan’s exclusion led to delays in intelligence sharing and apprehension efforts, limiting the effectiveness of international joint action.

Faced with a growing epidemic in transnational crime, the international community must strengthen intelligence exchange and deepen partnerships to improve cross-border law enforcement. We urge all countries to support Taiwan’s bid to participate as an observer in the INTERPOL General Assembly and to meaningfully engage in INTERPOL meetings, mechanisms, and activities, so that Taiwan and INTERPOL’s member states can engage in unhindered interactions. Taiwan remains committed to strengthening communications and cooperation with countries worldwide and working with the international community to combat transnational crime.