Interpol Conference Highlights Cyber-Crime Challenges and Solutions

The emergence of cyber-crime, which transcends man-made boundaries, has underscored the urgent need for global cooperation among law enforcement agencies to prevent and solve these crimes, according to a senior Dubai Police official.

At the Third International Conference on Interpol for the Middle East and North Africa, Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Dubai Police Deputy Commander-in-Chief, highlighted the importance of international cooperation. He cited an example where such cooperation enabled Dubai to arrest a child molester accused of crimes in a European country while the perpetrator was in the UAE.

Dubai Police have made significant progress in combating cyber-crime, particularly after establishing a dedicated department to address high-tech crimes emerging alongside rapid technological growth. Speaking at the conference held at the Dubai Police Academy, Al Mazeina emphasized Interpol’s interest in leveraging global police resources, given the far-reaching impact of cyber-crime.

The internet, while facilitating instant money transfers worldwide, also enables financial transactions for extortion and other illicit activities. The UAE’s and Dubai’s economic significance necessitated the creation of an economic crimes department, which collaborates with the departments of economic development, customs, and banks.

Al Mazeina reported that Dubai Police successfully resolved two significant cyber-crimes. In one case, they arrested a man who blackmailed women by hacking into their email accounts and stealing their pictures. In another instance, they apprehended a hacker who caused substantial losses by compromising the website of a financial company. He attributed this success to attracting skilled talent, acknowledging the technological acumen of the new generation.

Major Saeed Al Hajri, Director of Electronic Crimes at Dubai Police, discussed efforts to raise awareness of cyber-crimes such as forgery and credit card fraud. Ali Qubaisi, MENA team leader of Interpol cyber-crimes, noted that the Gulf region faces issues like defamation, extortion, and financial fraud via the internet, along with crimes contravening Islamic and Arabic culture. He emphasized the need for flexible legislation to keep pace with evolving electronic crimes.

Jamie Inestazi, Interpol’s Deputy Chief in the fight against financial and cyber-crimes, described electronic crimes as primarily internet-based or piracy-related, underscoring the necessity for cooperation and information exchange.

Representatives from MENA region countries shared their insights and experiences during the two-day conference.

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