TOKYO, March 27. /TASS/. Organized crime may spread around the world like an epidemic, it is intensifying, Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock said.

"My decision to warn the world of the potential of an epidemic of organized crime is not taken lightly," he told Singapore’s The Straits Times. According to him, the work of organized criminal groups has reached "a scale that was unimaginable a decade ago." Stock pointed out that this is due, in particular, to the emergence of new business models, the spread of anonymity on the Internet, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Interpol chief, organized crime has become a major threat to global security. Criminal groups operate across continents and have significant resources. In particular, according to Stock, the illicit proceeds of crime reach two to three trillion dollars, but law enforcement agencies are able to trace and seize no more than 3% of this sum. As a result, gangs continue to invest large sums of money to fund criminal activities.

In November 2023, Interpol President Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi told TASS that the fight against transnational organized crime is the agency's priority area of work. The organization also pays attention to the innovations in the fight against cybercrime and AI crimes. According to the Interpol president, the third key area is cooperation between the police forces of different countries.