Interpol opens new Singapore headquarters in bid to target cybercrime

Global police organisation Interpol yesterday formally opened a new office in Singapore that will provide additional support to law enforcers and boost the fight against internet-based criminal activities.

The new Interpol Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) will ensure that the agency is "best-placed to assist police forces around the world address emerging threats," Jurgen Stock, Interpol's secretary general, said.

Cybercrime "has been prioritised across the world as people, their homes and national critical infrastructure become smarter, or in other words, networked," Stock said.

The Singapore complex, located within the city-state's leafy diplomatic quarter, will complement the agency's headquarters in the French city of Lyon. Interpol has 110 officers from over 50 countries based in Singapore.

The state-of-the-art building houses a forensics laboratory to support digital crimes investigations and research the newest methods of cybercriminals.

It also has a command and coordination centre that can provide support to national police forces during crises, complementing similar facilities in Lyon and Buenos Aires.

Interpol said the Singapore complex played a crucial role in crippling the "Simda" botnet last week which infected more than 770,000 computers worldwide.