On 25 November 2025, the World Customs Organization WCO advised that in the fight against transnational crime, Customs and the police were at the forefront of maintaining global security and protecting societies, with the roles of the WCO and the International Criminal Police Organization INTERPOL essential in this effort. As part of the continued strengthening of the partnership between the WCO and INTERPOL, the WCO Secretary General SG attended the 93 rd INTERPOL General Assembly, which was held in Marrakech, Morocco, from 24 to 27 November 2025.
INTERPOL and the WCO have a long-standing strategic partnership, both organisations being committed to combating transnational crime and protecting societies. As partners, the WCO and INTERPOL must continue to disrupt illicit activity, no matter the source, jointly. Commonality of purpose supports it. Safety of society requires it, WCO SG said during a panel discussion with prominent chiefs of police and senior law enforcement leaders.
The high-level panel discussion - Identifying and Disrupting Transnational Organized Crime: Member Country Achievements Leveraging INTERPOL Capabilities - which was moderated by the INTERPOL SG, addressed the topics of deeper integration between customs and law enforcement networks to secure borders and global supply chains. The WCO SG pointed out that criminals are becoming ever more sophisticated, creating new business models and deploying the same technology innovations to counter our efforts . This environment makes closer cooperation between Customs and police even more pressing.
