ASEANAPOL Strengthens Collaboration with UK NCA to Combat Cyber-Enabled Fraud and Scam Centres

The ASEANAPOL Secretariat (AS) held a virtual meeting with Mr. Mark Brookes of the UK National Crime Agency (UK NCA) on February 10, 2025, via Microsoft Teams to discuss potential collaboration in combating transnational crime, particularly the rising threat of cyber-enabled fraud and scam centres across ASEAN and beyond. The meeting was attended by Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, Executive Director of ASEANAPO L Secretariat; Police Senior Superintendent Huntal Tambunan, Director for Police Services, Police Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Ngoc, Director for Plans and Programs; and other AS staff members.

During the discussion, both parties explored avenues to enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms between ASEANAPOL and UK NCA to track and disrupt organized cybercriminal networks. The meeting also emphasized the need to strengthen joint capacity-building initiatives to equip ASEANAPOL Member Countries (AMCs) with the necessary skills and tools to address the growing threats posed by cybercrime syndicates. Mr. Brookes expressed UK NCA’s interest in supporting AS in implementing the provisions of the 42nd ASEANAPOL Conference Joint Communique on combating fraud and scam centres. He proposed several modalities of support, including focused capacity-building training for AMC personnel, hardware/software support for cybercrime investigations, and other strategic mechanisms to dismantle transnational scam operations.

The UK NCA has been an esteemed ASEANAPOL Dialogue Partner since 2019 and has consistently provided support to AMCs through capacity-building training (CBTs) in various areas of law enforcement. This long-standing partnership has significantly contributed to enhancing the capabilities of AMC personnel in addressing transnational crime, including cyber-enabled threats. As cybercrime continues to evolve, ASEANAPOL remains committed to proactive, intelligence-led, and technology-driven approaches to counter emerging threats. This engagement with the UK NCA reaffirms ASEANAPOL’s mission to promote regional police cooperation and its vision of a safer and more secure ASEAN through strengthened international law enforcement partnerships.

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