Abdellatif Hammouchi, Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance in Morocco, participated in the 8th INTERPOL meeting of police chiefs from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, held at INTERPOL’s headquarters in Lyon on September 3-4, 2024. Hammouchi led the Moroccan delegation at this significant security meeting, which gathered security and police officials from MENA countries, including the Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and Mauritania.
According to a statement from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN), the meeting allowed Moroccan security services to showcase their expertise in combating emerging forms of regional crime. Participants addressed critical security challenges, such as organized crime, cybercrime, online radicalization, cryptocurrency-related criminal financing, drone-based terrorist threats, and other unconventional security risks.
The Moroccan delegation presented a comprehensive report on the country’s experience in fighting cybercrime, emphasizing the growing misuse of new technologies for criminal and terrorist purposes. Morocco’s approach to sharing expertise and information on this front drew attention, especially given the rising global threats from cybercrime.
INTERPOL highlighted various solutions and tools in response to these evolving risks, including their biometric platform, international criminal threat assessments, and the INTERPOL Analysis and Intelligence Network. The organization also discussed its support mechanisms, including training programs aimed at combating transnational crime.
On the sidelines of the event, Hammouchi met with Neal Jetton, the newly appointed Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Division. The two discussed potential collaborations between Morocco and INTERPOL, particularly in neutralizing criminal and terrorist activities facilitated by digital technologies.
Hammouchi also visited INTERPOL’s Command and Coordination Center, where he discussed mechanisms to strengthen cooperation on cross-border investigations and the international pursuit of wanted individuals.
Additionally, the Moroccan delegation held bilateral and multilateral discussions with INTERPOL officials and other MENA security leaders, focusing on strategies for coordinating efforts to address the regional and international ramifications of organized crime and terrorism.
