Purpose: to identify crimes that may not be considered a crime in the physical space, but pose a threat in the virtual.
Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock explained that it was important for the agency to keep pace with technological advances and “react adequately to challenges” as criminals began to stalk their victims on virtual platforms.
“We see that our inability to respond in a timely manner affects the credibility of the tools we use and, therefore, of Interpol.. Especially when crimes are committed on virtual platforms,” the Secretary General announced.
Jurgen Stock emphasized that “sophisticated and professional” criminals can easily adapt to new technological tools for committing crimes:
“As the number of Metaverse users grows, the list of possible crimes will only expand and potentially include crimes against children, data theft, money laundering, financial fraud, sexual assault, and more.”
At the same time, Interpol's director of technology and innovation, Madan Oberoi, said in a press interview that the agency is having difficulty defining what exactly constitutes crime in the metaverse.. Therefore, one of the main tasks for training employees of the department will be to increase awareness of possible crimes and preventive measures.
In October last year, Interpol announced the creation of a special group based on the Singapore office of the agency to combat crimes in the crypto space.