VISIT BY GARDA NATIONAL CRIME & SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (GNCSIS) TO ASEANAPOL SECRETARIAT OFFICE

The ASEANAPOL Secretariat successfully hosted a courtesy visit from Detective Inspector Daniel Kelly, the Garda Liaison Officer of the Garda National Crime & Security Intelligence Service (GNCSIS), based at the Embassy of Ireland in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 15, 2025, at 10:00 AM.

The meeting, held under the directive of Executive Director Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, was facilitated by the Director for Police Services, Senior Superintendent Huntal Tambunan, and the Director for Plans and Programmes, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Ngoc. They were joined by the Head of Administrative and Technical Staff, Superintendent Siva Pergahsum s/o Shanmugam, and other officers of the Secretariat, who extended a warm and professional welcome to the visiting officer.

Detective Inspector Kelly’s visit was intended to explore avenues for future collaboration between GNCSIS and ASEANAPOL. He conveyed his deep appreciation for ASEANAPOL’s regional role and expressed strong interest in forging a meaningful partnership. Drawing from his extensive experience with EUROPOL, particularly in transnational crime cooperation, he emphasized the significant value such engagements bring to both regional and international policing efforts.

He also shared insights from his involvement in EUROPOL's human trafficking initiatives, including biannual meetings addressing complex issues such as Chinese trafficking networks and emerging concerns such as surrogacy potentially linked to human trafficking. With 24 active projects—each spanning up to three years—he underscored the importance of sustained collaboration and intelligence exchange in tackling such crimes.

In addition, Detective Inspector Kelly highlighted his responsibility for cases involving Irish citizens across the region. He expressed his willingness to extend support to ASEANAPOL Member Countries in matters involving Irish nationals and sought to understand how GNCSIS could align with ASEANAPOL’s operational frameworks.

The ASEANAPOL Secretariat conveyed its readiness to deepen engagement with GNCSIS and welcomed future cooperative efforts. The meeting concluded on a positive and constructive note at 11:30 AM, marked by mutual understanding and a shared commitment to regional security collaboration.