ASEANAPOL - ASEAN Chiefs of Police

From 17 to 20 September 2024, ASEANAPOL Secretariat Executive Director David Martinez Vinluan participated in INTERPOL’s Asia and South Pacific Working Group Meeting on Cybercrime for Heads of Units, held in Metro Manila, Philippines. The meeting, organized by INTERPOL under the Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations Against Cybercrime (ASPJOC) project and funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), was co-sponsored by the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-E) Project while the Philippine Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) through the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) led by Mr. Alexander K. Ramos together with the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime led by Amb. Anthony J Alcantara co-hosted the ASPJOC activity.

The ASPJOC project, running from June 2024 to March 2025 that aims to strengthen the capabilities of law enforcement agencies in 20 Asian and South Pacific countries, including ASEANAPOL Member organizations such as: Royal Brunei Police Force, Cambodia National Police, Indonesia National Police, Royal Malaysia Police, Royal Thai Police and the Philippine National Police, to discuss best practices and challenges in the combat of cybercrime. The project focuses on gathering and analyzing cybercrime data, fostering cooperation among member nations, and leading intelligence-driven actions to prevent, investigate, and disrupt cybercriminal activities. INTERPOL supports these efforts by providing cyber threat assessments, raising awaren ess of threat detection, promoting best practices, and creating secure platforms for information sharing among law enforcement.

Executive Director David Martinez Vinluan played a prominent role in this meeting, participating as a panellist in two key sessions: “Regional Counter-Cybercrime Initiatives – Challenges and Opportunities” and “Challenges and Opportunities in Information and Intelligence Sharing in Law Enforcement.” In these sessions, he highlighted ASEANAPOL’s experiences, provided insights on regional challenges, and shared the organization’s approach to combating cybercrime through cooperation and intelligence sharing.

 < div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">The discussions at the meeting reinforced the importance of a unified, multifaceted approach to countering cybercrime. ASEANAPOL’s initiatives in intelligence sharing, joint operations, and capacity building, combined with INTERPOL’s global efforts, are crucial in addressing the transnational nature of cybercrime. Collaboration among national agencies, INTERPOL, and private sector partners is essential for developing comprehensive strategies to protect critical infrastructure, safeguard the digital economy, and ensure a more resilient regional and global response to cyber threats.

ASEANAPOL Secretariat participates in INTERPOL’s Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations Against Cybercrime (ASPJOC) project in Manila