Interpol

An Interpol notice is an international alert circulated by Interpol to communicate information about crimes, criminals, and threats by police in a member state (or an authorised international entity) to their counterparts around the world. The information disseminated via notices concerns individuals wanted for serious crimes, missing persons, unidentified bodies, possible threats, prison escapes, and criminals' modus operandi.

There are eight types of notices, seven of which are colour-coded by their function: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Black, Orange, and Purple. The most well-known notice is the Red Notice which is the "closest instrument to an international arrest warrant in use today".An eighth Special Notice is issued at the request of the United Nations Security Council.

Notices published by Interpol are made either on the organisation's own initiative or are based on requests from National Central Bureaus (NCBs) of member states or authorised international entities such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Court. All notices are published on Interpol's secure website. Extracts of notices may also be published on Interpol's public website if the requesting entity agrees. Interpol may only publish a notice that adheres to all the proper legal conditions. For example, a notice will not be published if it violates Interpol's constitution, which forbids the organisation from undertaking activities of a political, military, religious, or racial character. Interpol may refuse to publish a notice that it considers inadvisable or a potential risk.

Notice types

What is a 'red notice'?

A red notice is an international alert to give notification about crimes, criminals and threats from police. At the request of the NCB (National Central Bureau), an electronic alert is issued by INTERPOL which constitutes a Red Notice. It can be reached by police as well as immigration authorities throughout the globe. The information regarding Red Notice is stored on INTERPOL’s databases.

Red Notice brings about a request worldwide published by INTERPOL to assist in finding the location of a person (wanted) pending surrender, extradition, arrest or similar lawful action. A Red Notice aids in providing information to law enforcement officers in a country to notify about the arrest of a certain person sought by another country.

 It incorporates comprehensive data related to the wanted person. It includes photograph, name, nationality and date of birth. Description of the respective charge and alleged actions seem to have committed by the person who is wanted is also included in the issued Notice.

What is green notice?

Green Notice is issued to provide warnings and intelligence about persons who have committed criminal offences and are likely to repeat these crimes in other countries as well. This type of notice is issued to many serial sex offenders.

What is Yellow notice?

Yellow Notice This notice is issued to locate missing persons, often minors or to seek help in identifying persons who are unable to identify themselves (in case of minors and people of unsound mind). Yellow notice is a valuable law enforcement tool that can increase the possibility of getting the location of the missing persons. The basic motive behind issuing the yellow notice is to raise global alert to help locate missing persons, or to identify those persons who are unable to identify themselves. Yellow Notices are published for victims of criminal abductions (kidnappings), parental abductions or unexplained disappearance of the persons.

What is Blue notice?

What is Black notice?

Black Notice is issued by INTERPOL to seek information of unidentified bodies. Every year, near about 150 black notices are issued by the INTERPOL. Here unidentified bodies mean the dead body of a person whose identity cannot be revealed by police and medical examiners.

What is Purple notice?

This category aids Interpol's efforts to tackle environmental criminals. This notice is issued for those criminals who hunts wild animals and sell their body parts in international market.

What is Interpol-United Nations Security Council Special Notice?

This type of notice is issued for groups and individuals who are the targets of UN Security Council Sanctions Committees. Interpol has issued over 500 such notices so far. This type of notice is issued to terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

What is Orange Notice?

To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety.