The AFP strengthens its international law enforcement network across Central Asia

Seeing as most of Australia's serious criminal targets live or have links overseas, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has a truly transnational focus. Key international threats exist in a range of areas including drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, and terrorism.

The AFP recently announced that it is strengthening ties across Central Asia to bolster its international law enforcement network. This article explores the key points of the press release.

The AFP's international law enforcement network

The AFP's international law enforcement network consists of AFP members posted to 34 countries around the world other than Australia and its territories.

Some of the AFP's most significant achievements in combatting international crime relate to preventing drug trafficking into Australia, protecting children, delivering capability development overseas, setting up international posts, and participating in joint task forces to enhance cooperation with foreign law enforcement.

Strengthening ties across Central Asia

AFP members will be travelling to Central Asia to foster new collaboration opportunities to assist Australian investigations.

The AFP will join a delegation of law enforcement partners, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), travelling to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to meet with local and international agencies.

AFP members based in Islamabad, Pakistan, will join the delegation to understand how the AFP can best work alongside and in partnership with these nations for future investigations.

How this expansion helps to combat cross-border criminal threats

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Josh O'Connor said the expansion of the international network is an important milestone for the AFP in combatting criminal groups offshore.

“This is a crucial opportunity for the AFP to meet with our counterparts in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to better understand how we can support their law enforcement efforts, including those with links to Australia,” he said.

“Our law enforcement partnerships around the world are critical to the AFP's core work and focus, including in key crime areas such as transnational and serious organised crime, child protection, human trafficking, cybercrime and counter-terrorism.”

Key takeaways

The AFP focuses on combatting offshore criminal threats that impact Australia. The AFP is strengthening its ties across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, to bolster its international law enforcement network across Central Asia.