British candidate to lead Interpol says international law enforcement agency is needed more than ever to tackle criminals operating across borders
The British candidate to lead Interpol believes the international law enforcement agency is needed more than ever to tackle criminals operating across borders.
Stephen Kavanagh, one of the UK's most senior policing officials, said he has implemented new measures to stop autocratic regimes from abusing Interpol alerts to arrest dissidents.
The alerts, which are effectively 'wanted' notices issued to Interpol members, have been used by Russia in the past to detain whistleblowers who have spoken out about corruption and human rights abuses.
Kavanagh, who hopes to succeed Interpol's current head, Jürgen Stock of Germany, has placed this measure at the centre of his campaign to become the next secretary-general of Interpol.
Speaking to The Times, Kavanagh, who is backed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said Interpol had a 'unique lens' on international crime with its ability to work with the law enforcement agencies of its 196 member states.
![Stephen Kavanagh (pictured), one of the UK's most senior policing officials, said he has implemented new measures to stop autocratic regimes from abusing Interpol alerts to arrest dissidents](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/02/07/83138447-13262379-image-m-71_1712040098113.jpg)
Stephen Kavanagh (pictured), one of the UK's most senior policing officials, said he has implemented new measures to stop autocratic regimes from abusing Interpol alerts to arrest dissidents
Kavanagh, who has been Interpol's executive director for police services since 2020, praised the agency's ability in combating crime such as child sexual exploitation, firearms dealing and fraud to other offences enabled by AI.
'Children going to school today, retired people sitting in their homes, businesses — they are all under threat not just from actors in their city or town but from those who are sitting on the other side of the world,' he said.
'We need Interpol more than we've ever needed them.'
Britain's government was previously alarmed when China appeared willing to contest the election, but they did not follow though.
Sources told The Times that the next Interpol leader must not neglect investigations in areas such as Africa where China has been accused of illegal mining and labour violations.
Kavanagh insisted he had a 'proven track record of giving Africa a voice', including 'those countries that are having their resources ripped from them'.
Mr Sunak described Kavanagh as a candidate who will transform Interpol into an 'innovative, modern organisation that is unfailingly committed to tackling global criminal threats'.
Britain's candidate will come up against three other leaders from Brazil, Pakistan and Zambia before a vote in November.
![Kavanag hopes to succeed Interpol's current head, Jürgen Stock of Germany (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/02/07/83138455-13262379-image-a-72_1712040135285.jpg)
Kavanag hopes to succeed Interpol's current head, Jürgen Stock of Germany (pictured)
Kavanagh has already overseen Interpol's largest ever co-ordinated firearms operation.
Operation Trigger saw the agency work with countries from Central and South America to seize more than 8,000 illegal firemarms and 203 tonnes of cocaine. It led to over 14,000 arrests.
Interpol member states include Russia and China who have both been accused of exploiting the red notice system. There are around 10,000 red notices a year.
This is where countries can put out 'wanted' notices for local police forces to arrest a suspect for extradition.
Russia has done this repeatedly with Bill Browder, a vocal Kremlin critic based in London.
Meanwhile in 2021, Beijing issued a red notice to arrest a member of China's persecuted Uighur minority in Morocco which Interpol classed as 'non-compliant'.
As part of his campaign, Kavanagh has said he has improved the red notice system and put in new alerts to prevent the orders being abused.
This includes countries being subject to 'corrective measures' and stricter monitoring so that inappropriate requests can be blocked.
Kavanagh said: 'I set out a very clear stall in terms of what I stand for, in terms of the integrity of the data and how the system should be used.'
He said it was imported to keep law enforcement avenues open 'because criminality will go where there is the least effective law enforcement'.
When tensions rose with the Kremlin in late 2021, Interpol helped to rescue a child being sexually exploited in Russia.
The US discovered he was going to be abused by paedophiles on the dark web before Interpol provided intelligence to Russian authorities to ensure he was rescued safely.