Interpol to launch online programme to combat IP crimes

Interpol will launch an interactive online learning programme tomorrow to help law enforcement authorities as well as private sector players worldwide to combat intellectual property related crimes.

"We will launch an online programme to help investigators to effectively fight threats from transnational organised intellectual property crime. The programme would provide leading edge training...," the International police organisation secretary general Ronald K Noble said here today.

He was speaking at the Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting & Piracy.

Counterfeiting and piracy are estimated to be causing billions of dollars worth losses and most of such activities are carried out by transnational organised crime groups.

The training programme would be offered by Interpol and UL University, which is part of US-based Underwriters Laboratories. UL is an independent product safety and certification organisation.

"This is the introductory level and we plan to introduce the intermediate level of this programme by the end of 2011. We hope to come up with advanced level modules sometime in 2012," a UL official said.

The programme would be free for the law enforcement agencies while private sector entities would have to shell out about USD 150 per module. It would have seven modules that would cover a range of topics including health and safety consequences of intellectual property crimes, the official noted.

Interpol, which has 188 member countries including India, facilitates cross-border police co-operation, among others.