International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)

Purpose

Facilitate international police cooperation and coordination in combating cross-border crime, including issuing international alerts ("Red Notices").

Members:

196 member countries

Headquarters:

Lyon, France

History

Interpol was founded in 1923 as the International Criminal Police Commission, reorganized and renamed in 1956, and is now the world's largest international police organization.

Structure

• General Assembly
• Executive Committee
• General Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General

Key facts

• Issues "Red Notices", international alerts requesting the location and arrest of wanted individuals pending extradition, though these are not themselves international arrest warrants
• Does not have its own agents or powers of arrest; it coordinates information and cooperation between national police forces

Pakistan's relationship

Member; maintains a National Central Bureau coordinating with Interpol on cross-border crime and wanted-persons cases.