About Interpol
International crime

The development of increasingly sophisticated facilities for rapid travel has made it far easier for criminals to move around the world. At the same time, the complex structures of modern societies and the constant growth of international exchanges provide more and more opportunities for international criminal activity, which has now reached alarming proportions. However, the term "international crime", although in common use, does not necessarily refer to specific types of offence defined in law.

Some offences are covered by international conventions, for instance currency counterfeiting (1929 Convention), traffic in human beings and the exploitation of prostitution (1949 Convention), and drug trafficking (1988 Convention).

Other offences, however, can be classified as "international" because of the behavior of the offenders. For instance, preparations for committing an offence may be made in one country while the actual offence is committed in one or more other countries. To take another example, similar offences may be committed one after the other in several different countries. Finally, an offender may escape across a border after committing his offence, he may transfer his illicit gains abroad, or he may conceal objects or documents used to commit the offence in another country.

Tracing and arresting such offenders may prove extremely difficult; problems can arise in connection with exchanging information, identification, international investigations and subsequent extradition. Because of these problems, police services in different countries must work together if they are to combat international crime successfully.