Police Chief Meets FBI Director to Discuss Transnational Crime

Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo received a courtesy call from FBI Director Kash Patel at the National Police Headquarters on Thursday (23/7). Sigit affirmed the police force’s full commitment to cooperating with the FBI in law enforcement to tackle the increasingly complex development of modern crime, which is transnational and transcends jurisdictional boundaries. During the meeting, the Police Chief stated that the FBI is one of the police force’s main partners in international law enforcement cooperation. He said the cooperation between the two institutions needs to be strengthened to improve the ability to respond to the growing threat of transnational crime. “I hope this visit will further strengthen the institutional relationship between the Indonesian National Police and the FBI and provide new momentum for strengthening international law enforcement cooperation, especially in facing the increasingly complex threats of transnational crime,” he explained. He said the cooperation is outlined in a Letter of Intent on Capacity Building and the Prevention and Combating of Transnational Crime, which was signed on 5 July 2019 and has been extended until 2029. Sigit said that through the agreement, a total of 286 police personnel have received capacity building through joint training development programmes with the FBI. “This support has made an important contribution to improving the professionalism, knowledge, and technical capabilities of Indonesian National Police personnel in dealing with various forms of modern crime,” he said. He expressed hope that the joint training programme can continue to be enhanced, particularly in priority crime sectors. Sigit added that the police force is also ready to optimise the role of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) as an international education and training centre for law enforcement officers, which has involved participants from 101 countries, including the United States. In the same meeting, the Police Chief also highlighted the development of cybercrime and increasingly organised online fraud networks. Starting from pig butchering scams, love scams, Business Email Compromise, phishing, ransomware, investment fraud, identity theft, to the misuse of crypto assets and digital applications, these are challenges that require a joint response. “The Indonesian National Police hopes that operational cooperation can be strengthened through rapid intelligence exchange, identification of perpetrators and networks, tracking of fund flows, asset recovery, and the establishment of a more effective coordination mechanism,” he said. Sigit also encouraged strengthening cooperation in dealing with the threat of terrorism, which now utilises social media, digital platforms, encrypted communications, and propaganda targeting vulnerable groups, including the younger generation. “The Indonesian National Police hopes that cooperation with the FBI can be expanded in dealing with online radicalisation, violent extremism, digital communication investigations, and the protection of the public from terrorist propaganda,” he said. Finally, Sigit stressed the importance of cooperation in eradicating human trafficking and people smuggling, including through strengthening information exchange to identify perpetrators, fund flows, communication tools, and the network’s links to other transnational crimes. “The Indonesian National Police is committed to continuing to be a reliable partner for the FBI in strengthening international law enforcement cooperation. We hope this audience can enhance information exchange, operational cooperation, capacity building, and the resolution of cases of mutual concern,” he said.