Crimes

Real not virtual

Images of child sexual abuse found on the web are not virtual; they are a crime involving real children and real suffering. Sexual abuse and exploitation, trafficking, forced labour and abduction: these are just some of the dangers faced by children around the world today. At INTERPOL, we work to address those crimes that have an international dimension.

To help trace missing children, we issue Yellow Notices, while our human trafficking experts work alongside member countries to rescue child victims of trafficking and forced labour.

The global reach and anonymity of the Internet have greatly facilitated the distribution of child sexual abuse material, and access to it. Offenders can now produce, exchange and even direct live video of children – even babies - being abused. They can also come into direct contact with children via social networks and chat functions in games or apps.

The priority of our Crimes Against Children unit is to:

• identify and rescue young victims of sexual abuse;

• block access to child sexual abuse material;

• prevent sex offenders from travelling abroad to abuse children or escape justice.

The term ‘vehicle crime’ refers to the theft and trafficking of vehicles and the illicit trade in spare parts. These activities affect personal property, businesses, the economy and public safety in all regions of the world.

The organized theft of motor vehicles, while of immediate concern to the individual owner, also has a financial implication for insurance companies, is damaging to the reputation of car manufacturers and – in most cases – is linked to other organized crime operations.

For organized criminal groups, the acquisition, shipment and trade of stolen vehicles is a low-risk way to make profits. Stolen vehicles are frequently trafficked in order to finance and carry out other criminal activities, ranging from drug trafficking, arms dealing, people smuggling and international terrorism.

Additionally, the illicit market in spare parts is a lucrative source of income for criminal organizations and offers them many practical uses. Not only does this phenomenon have a financial impact on the industry, but it also puts drivers in danger as illicit spare parts are likely to fall below recognized safety standards.

In recent years, the use of the Internet has contributed to a dramatic increase in the resale of illicit vehicle components, making this an issue of major concern for law enforcement, car manufacturers, regulatory bodies and public health organizations across the world.