What is INTERPOL Silver Notice

What is INTERPOL Silver Notice

Why in News? 

Recently, INTERPOL issued two Silver Notices for the first time at India’s request. This step was taken to investigate global assets linked to a case involving visa and fraud-related offenses.

• On 23 May 2025, India for the first time requested INTERPOL to issue a Silver Notice. The notice was related to an investigation into suspicious global properties of a former diplomatic official.
• On 26 May 2025, a second Silver Notice was issued at the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This notice was connected to the probe of financial transactions in a major international fraud case.

What is INTERPOL Silver Notice ?

• • Introduction:
    • The Silver Notice is a newly developed information-sharing system by INTERPOL. 
    • It allows member countries to share or request details of illegally acquired assets linked to suspected criminals from other nations.
    • These assets can include land, houses, vehicles, bank accounts, jewellery, foreign investments, or business stakes.
    • Through this notice, global surveillance of criminals’ economic activities is conducted.
    • This notice is also issued in cases where the criminal offense being investigated is punishable by four years or more of imprisonment.
    • Before publishing any Silver Notice, it is reviewed by INTERPOL’s General Secretariat.
    • A special committee of experts is appointed for this purpose.

• Background:

• • • The idea of the Silver Notice was introduced at the INTERPOL General Assembly in 2015, where member countries agreed that the most effective way to fight crime is to identify, seize, and recover the proceeds of crime.
    • After a ten-year period of planning, the Silver Notice was launched in January 2025 in a pilot phase.
    • This pilot includes 52 countries, such as India, the USA, the UK, Russia, Italy, China, and the UAE.
    • Each country is allowed to issue a maximum of 9 Silver Notices during this phase, which continues until November 2025.

• Objectives:

• • To request asset-related information about a person from another country
  • To identify illegally obtained properties
  • To conduct confidential surveillance of such assets
  • To expedite court orders and legal procedures related to confiscation
  • The goal is to lay the foundation for seizing assets in upcoming legal steps.

Introduction to INTERPOL

• INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) is a global institution that assists police agencies across the world to collaborate.
• Its main objective is to enable cooperation between law enforcement agencies to combat transnational crimes.
• It facilitates quick and secure communication and information exchange between police forces.
• INTERPOL was established on 7 September 1923 at the end of a five-day international police conference in Vienna, Austria.
  • Initially, it was known as the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC).
• Its headquarters is located in Lyon, France.
• The organization also has seven regional offices and National Central Bureaus (NCBs) in all 196 member countries.
• Each NCB serves as a link between the national police and INTERPOL.
• Emblem:
  • It was adopted in 1950, it features a globe, symbolising its global reach, olive branches representing peace, a sword for policing action, and a scale for justice.
  • It also contains abbreviations like ‘OIPC’ and ‘ICPO’, which represent its French and English names.
• Responsibilities:
  • INTERPOL focuses on three core areas: terrorism, cybercrime, and organized crime.
  • It also works on issues such as child trafficking, drug smuggling, human rights violations, political corruption, white-collar crime, and intellectual property theft.
• Technology:
  • INTERPOL uses a secured communication network called I-24/7.
  • Through this, police forces can access information on criminals, identification, passports, fingerprints, and DNA records instantly.
• Leadership:
  • INTERPOL’s administration is overseen by its General Assembly, which includes all member countries.
  • The assembly elects the Executive Committee and the President.
  • The daily operations are run by INTERPOL’s General Secretariat, which has nearly 1,000 staff members from over 100 countries.
• Budget:
  • INTERPOL’s annual budget is about 142 million Euros (around 155 million US Dollars).

Interpol Notices and Their Types

• Introduction:

• • • Interpol notices are official messages that are issued to share important crime-related information among member countries.
    • These notices help strengthen cooperation between police agencies worldwide through Interpol.
    • Interpol’s General Secretariat, its main office, officially issues these notices.
    • Any member country can initiate this process through its National Central Bureau (NCB).
    • When a country wants to share information related to a suspect or an incident, it requests Interpol to issue a specific type of notice.
    • Some international bodies, like the International Criminal Court (ICC) and special tribunals of the United Nations, can also request Interpol to issue notices.

• Types of Notices:

• • Red Notice → Alerts global police to locate and arrest fugitives wanted for serious crimes.
  • Yellow Notice → Assists in tracing missing persons or identifying those unable to reveal their identity.
  • Blue Notice → Gathers more details about a person’s identity, actions, or location.
  • Black Notice → Helps identify unknown dead bodies across international borders.
  • Green Notice → Warns nations about individuals posing risks to public safety.
  • Orange Notice → Issues alerts about imminent threats, hazards, or dangerous materials.
  • Purple Notice → Details criminal methods, tools, or ways used to hide illegal actions.
  • Silver Notice → Tracks and monitors assets linked to criminal activities.
  • UN Special Notice → Notifies all countries of UN-imposed sanctions on individuals or groups.

Interpol notices are not just information bulletins. They are essential tools in the global strategy to combat crime. They help not only in identifying and arresting criminals but also in alerting the public.