ASEANAPOL Secretariat Participates in Regional Dialogue on Geocriminality in Tokyo, Japan

ASEANAPOL Secretariat Participates in Regional Dialogue on Geocriminality in Tokyo, Japan

On 10–11 June 2026, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat participated in the regional dialogue “Geocriminality in Southeast Asia and Beyond” organized by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) in Tokyo, Japan. The event brought together more than 50 participants from law enforcement agencies, government institutions, academia, and international organizations from ASEAN Member Countries and neighbouring regions.

During the dialogue, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat presented updates on ASEANAPOL’s ongoing initiatives, including the development of the ASEANAPOL Scam Combat Task Force (ASCOT), aimed at strengthening regional cooperation against scam-related crimes and other transnational threats.

A key topic of discussion was the emerging concept of Geocriminality, which examines how criminal networks exploit geographical, governance, and geopolitical factors to establish and sustain transnational criminal operations. Participants discussed the growing links between online scams, cybercrime, illicit financial networks, human trafficking, and other forms of organized crime operating across borders.

The ASEANAPOL Secretariat considers Geocriminality an emerging issue with important implications for Southeast Asia and intends to share relevant observations and lessons learned with ASEANAPOL Member Countries for future discussion and consideration.

Together, We Keep This Region Safe.

"Together We Keep This Region Safe”