INTERPOL, formally known as the International Criminal Police Organization, is an intergovernmental organization that enables police authorities in different countries to cooperate.
It is not a worldwide police force. INTERPOL does not independently prosecute criminal cases, issue national arrest warrants or replace national police, prosecutors and courts.
Instead, the Organization connects law-enforcement authorities in 196 member countries. It provides secure communication systems, international notices, criminal databases, analytical assistance, operational support and channels for exchanging police information across borders.
What Does INTERPOL Mean?
The name INTERPOL is a shortened form of “international police.” The Organization’s full official name is the International Criminal Police Organization–INTERPOL.
INTERPOL developed from the International Criminal Police Commission, which was established in 1923. It now operates as a membership-based intergovernmental organization with a global network of 196 countries.
What Does INTERPOL Do?
INTERPOL helps police authorities cooperate when a suspect, victim, offence, document, asset or investigation involves more than one country.
Its work includes:
- enabling secure communication between police authorities;
- maintaining international criminal databases;
- publishing Notices at the request of member countries;
- helping locate wanted and missing persons;
- sharing fingerprints, DNA profiles, facial images and identity data;
- assisting with criminal intelligence analysis;
- supporting international fugitive investigations;
- coordinating cross-border operations;
- providing forensic and technical assistance;
- training national law-enforcement personnel.
INTERPOL does not determine whether a person is guilty. It supplies tools, information and international communication channels that national authorities may use in their own investigations and legal proceedings.
How Does INTERPOL Work?
INTERPOL operates through its General Secretariat, National Central Bureaus, secure communication network, specialist databases and international cooperation tools such as Notices and Diffusions.
The General Secretariat
The General Secretariat coordinates INTERPOL’s daily policing and administrative activities.
Its headquarters is in Lyon, France. The Organization also operates offices and facilities in other regions, including its Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore. Its Command and Coordination Centre provides continuous operational support from Lyon, Buenos Aires and Singapore.
National Central Bureaus
Every member country maintains an INTERPOL National Central Bureau, usually referred to as an NCB.
An NCB is the main contact point between:
- domestic law-enforcement authorities;
- NCBs in other member countries;
- INTERPOL’s General Secretariat.
NCBs request information from other countries, contribute national police data, coordinate cross-border investigations and communicate through INTERPOL’s restricted systems. Their composition and powers depend on the law and institutional structure of the country concerned.
The I-24/7 Police Network
I-24/7 is INTERPOL’s secure global police communication system.
It connects NCBs and other authorized users, allowing them to exchange sensitive police information and search INTERPOL databases in real time. Depending on the country, access may also be extended to authorized border officers and specialist law-enforcement units.
How Many Countries Are Members of INTERPOL?
INTERPOL has 196 member countries, making it the world’s largest international police organization.
Each country hosts a National Central Bureau that links its national authorities to the wider INTERPOL network. Palau became the 196th member country in November 2023.
Membership does not mean that all countries treat INTERPOL information in the same way. The legal effect of a Notice, Diffusion, database record or foreign warrant depends on the national law and procedures of the country concerned.
What Information Is Held in INTERPOL Databases?
INTERPOL manages restricted databases containing millions of records supplied by member countries.
Depending on the system, the information may relate to:
- wanted or missing persons;
- names, aliases and identity details;
- fingerprints, DNA profiles and facial images;
- stolen, lost or revoked travel documents;
- stolen vehicles and vessels;
- firearms and ballistics;
- stolen works of art;
- unidentified bodies;
- criminal methods and organized networks;
- Notices, Diffusions and related police information.
These databases are primarily available to National Central Bureaus and other authorized police or border authorities. They are not general public-search platforms.
A record in an INTERPOL database does not necessarily mean that the individual has been convicted. It may concern a person wanted for prosecution, a missing person, an unidentified individual or information connected with an ongoing investigation.
What Are INTERPOL Notices?
INTERPOL Notices are international requests for cooperation or alerts through which member countries share crime-related information.
The current categories include:
- Red Notice — to locate a person wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence;
- Yellow Notice — to locate a missing person or identify someone unable to identify themselves;
- Blue Notice — to collect information about a person’s identity, location or activities;
- Black Notice — to seek information about unidentified bodies;
- Green Notice — to warn about a person considered a possible threat to public safety;
- Orange Notice — to warn about a serious and imminent threat;
- Purple Notice — to share information about criminal methods, objects and concealment techniques;
- Silver Notice — currently in a pilot phase, to identify and trace criminal assets;
- INTERPOL–United Nations Security Council Special Notice — for individuals and entities subject to UN Security Council sanctions.
Member countries may also circulate Diffusions directly to all or selected NCBs. Diffusions perform functions similar to the colour-coded Notice system but are transmitted directly by the requesting country.
Most Notices are restricted to police use. Only selected extracts are published on INTERPOL’s public website.
Can INTERPOL Arrest People?
No. INTERPOL does not operate its own international police force with general authority to enter a country and arrest a person.
National police, immigration authorities, prosecutors and courts carry out any arrest or legal action under their own laws.
A Red Notice may alert national authorities to the existence of a foreign warrant, but INTERPOL cannot compel a country to detain the person. A member country must decide whether its domestic law provides a lawful basis for arrest, provisional detention, extradition or another measure.
Read our detailed article explaining whether INTERPOL can make arrests.
What Crimes Does INTERPOL Deal With?
INTERPOL supports cooperation in four major global priority areas:
- terrorism;
- cybercrime;
- organized crime;
- financial crime and anti-corruption.
Its broader work also covers drug and firearms trafficking, human trafficking, crimes against children, environmental crime, vehicle crime, maritime crime, counterfeit documents, cultural heritage offences and international fugitive investigations.
INTERPOL does not investigate or prosecute every offence itself. National authorities conduct the investigation, issue domestic warrants and bring criminal proceedings. INTERPOL provides communication channels, databases, analysis, Notices and operational support.
What Is INTERPOL Not Allowed to Do?
INTERPOL must operate within its Constitution and Rules on the Processing of Data.
Article 3 of the Constitution strictly prohibits the Organization from undertaking activities of a predominantly:
- political;
- military;
- religious;
- racial character.
INTERPOL’s rules also require respect for fundamental human rights, national sovereignty, data accuracy, proportionality, purpose limitation and other data-protection principles.
Requests for Notices are reviewed for compliance by the Notices and Diffusions Task Force. This specialist team includes lawyers, police officers and operational experts.
A request may be refused, blocked or cancelled where it does not comply with INTERPOL’s Constitution or data-processing rules.
Does INTERPOL Investigate Crimes?
INTERPOL may provide analytical, forensic, technical or operational support, but the underlying investigation remains the responsibility of the competent national authorities.
For example, INTERPOL may help countries:
- compare fingerprints or DNA profiles;
- identify connections between investigations;
- exchange intelligence;
- coordinate an international operation;
- trace a fugitive;
- check stolen documents or vehicles;
- analyse criminal networks.
It does not ordinarily replace the national investigators responsible for collecting evidence, questioning witnesses, filing charges or presenting a case in court.
Does INTERPOL Have Jurisdiction in Every Country?
INTERPOL does not have jurisdiction in the same way as a national police force or court.
Its network operates in all 196 member countries, but police powers remain national. INTERPOL does not independently decide whether to search a property, detain a person or commence a prosecution.
The role of the Organization is to facilitate lawful international police cooperation. The actual measure taken depends on:
- the law of the country concerned;
- the underlying national warrant or judicial decision;
- the type of Notice or Diffusion;
- the applicable extradition framework;
- immigration and border-control rules;
- the circumstances of the individual case.
How Is INTERPOL Different From Europol?
INTERPOL is a global intergovernmental organization with 196 member countries.
Europol is an agency of the European Union. Its work focuses on supporting EU Member States in preventing and combating serious international and organized crime, cybercrime and terrorism affecting the European Union. Europol may support national investigations, but its officers do not independently arrest people or initiate national investigations.
The two organizations may cooperate, but they have different memberships, legal frameworks and institutional roles.
Can Members of the Public Search INTERPOL Records?
The public can search selected extracts of Red and Yellow Notices published on INTERPOL’s website.
However, most Notices and police information are not publicly available. A person’s absence from the public Red Notice list does not prove that INTERPOL holds no data concerning them.
Individuals who want to know whether personal data is being processed may submit a formal request to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files.
What Is the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files?
The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files, known as the CCF, is an independent and impartial body responsible for ensuring that personal data processed through INTERPOL’s channels complies with the Organization’s rules.
A person may apply to the CCF for:
- access to personal data;
- correction of inaccurate data;
- deletion of data;
- revision of an earlier CCF decision where the relevant requirements are met.
The CCF assesses compliance with INTERPOL’s rules. It does not decide whether a person is guilty, cancel a national arrest warrant or determine the final outcome of an extradition case.
Since 26 March 2026, requests must generally be submitted through the dedicated secure CCF Online Portal. The portal can be used by applicants and their authorized representatives.
What Should You Do If INTERPOL Holds Data About You?
Do not rely solely on INTERPOL’s public website. Most Notices are not published openly, and other forms of restricted data may exist.
Depending on the circumstances, the appropriate steps may include:
- submitting a request for access to INTERPOL data;
- reviewing the underlying national arrest warrant;
- examining the criminal proceedings in the requesting country;
- assessing whether the data complies with Articles 2 and 3;
- identifying factual errors or outdated information;
- requesting correction or deletion;
- evaluating travel, immigration and extradition risks;
- coordinating proceedings before national courts or authorities.
Independent lawyers handling INTERPOL cases may assist with the legal assessment, preparation of evidence and procedure before the CCF.
FAQ
Is INTERPOL a real police force?
INTERPOL is an international police-cooperation organization, but it is not a supranational police force. It does not have general powers to arrest, prosecute or conduct searches inside member countries.
Is INTERPOL part of the United Nations?
No. INTERPOL is an independent intergovernmental organization. It cooperates with the United Nations and issues INTERPOL–UN Security Council Special Notices concerning individuals and entities subject to UN sanctions.
Where is INTERPOL located?
The General Secretariat’s headquarters is in Lyon, France. INTERPOL also operates offices and facilities in other regions, including its Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore.
Does INTERPOL issue arrest warrants?
No. National courts or judicial authorities issue arrest warrants. INTERPOL may publish a Red Notice based on an existing national warrant or court decision.
Can INTERPOL arrest someone at an airport?
INTERPOL itself does not carry out the arrest. National border or law-enforcement authorities may take action if their domestic law provides a legal basis.
Is every Red Notice public?
No. Most Notices are restricted to law-enforcement use. Only selected extracts are made publicly available.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified lawyer.