Fugitive investigations
Fugitives pose a serious threat to public safety worldwide. They are mobile (often travelling between countries on stolen or fraudulent travel documents), and opportunistic, frequently financing their continued flight from the law through further criminal activities.
Fugitives also undermine the world’s criminal justice systems. They may have been charged with a violation of the law but not been arrested. They may have been released on bail and then fled to avoid prosecution or perhaps they have escaped from prison. When fugitives flee, cases are not adjudicated, convicted criminals fail to meet their obligations, and crime victims are denied justice.
INTERPOL’s role
At INTERPOL, a dedicated Fugitive Investigative Support Unit provides proactive and systematic assistance to member countries and other international entities in order to locate and arrest fugitives who cross international boundaries. Its role is to:
- Provide investigative support to member countries in ongoing international fugitive investigations;
- Develop and implement focused initiatives such as Operation Infra-Red;
- Coordinate and enhance international cooperation in the field of fugitive investigations;
- Deliver training and conferences;
- Collate and disseminate best practice and expert knowledge;
- Provide operational support for investigations into genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes to INTERPOL member countries, UN tribunals and the International Criminal Court.
Red notices for wanted persons
One of our most powerful tools in tracking international fugitives is the Red Notice. This seeks the provisional arrest of a wanted person with a view to extradition and is circulated to police in all our member countries. Red notices contain identification details and judicial information about the wanted person.
US fugitive and former Bout associate Chichakli arrest in Australia assisted by INTERPOL
