ICPO Interpol – 66th General Assembly Session

Introduction

INTERPOL is the acronym for the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO). Its General Secretariat is located in Lyon, France. The organization was created to promote the widest possible cooperation among member countries in preventing and combating ordinary law crime.

Purpose and Role of INTERPOL

INTERPOL is the largest international police organization in the world, with membership of 177 countries at that time. It helps nations cooperate in criminal matters while respecting the laws and sovereignty of each member state.

The organization supports police forces worldwide by facilitating the exchange of information, coordinating investigations, and strengthening international policing systems.

National Central Bureaus (NCBs)

For day-to-day cooperation, each member country maintains a National Central Bureau (NCB). These bureaus act as a link between the country’s own police agencies and the police agencies of other member nations.

The NCBs are considered the operational arms of INTERPOL and play a vital role in international law enforcement coordination.

Modernization and Global Policing

INTERPOL also contributes significantly to the modernization of police forces around the world. It functions indirectly as an international police research and support center, helping member nations improve techniques, systems, and methods for tackling modern crime.

66th General Assembly Session in New Delhi

The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of INTERPOL and meets once every year. The 66th General Assembly Session was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, from 15th to 21st October 1997.

This was the first time India hosted an INTERPOL General Assembly Session, although India had become a member in 1949. Earlier, India had hosted the 13th Asian Regional Conference of INTERPOL in New Delhi in 1994.

Important Issues Discussed

The General Assembly discusses many important matters, including:

• Admission of new member countries
• Financial reports and budget approvals
• Developmental plans of the organization
• Regional and international police cooperation
• Organized crime
• Money laundering
• Counterfeiting of currency
• Forged travel documents
• Other forms of trans-border crime

Importance for India

With economic liberalization increasing international trade and movement, India was becoming more vulnerable to global economic crimes. Hosting the INTERPOL General Assembly was therefore timely and significant.

It helped:

• Increase awareness among Indian police forces about INTERPOL services
• Strengthen India’s international law enforcement partnerships
• Demonstrate India’s commitment to fighting cross-border crime

Commemorative Stamp Issue

To mark this important occasion, the Department of Posts issued a commemorative postage stamp on the 66th General Assembly Session of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO).