Interpol Launched Silver Notice to Track Illicit Assets
The new tool was introduced in January 2025 to help member nations identify and seize illegal wealth.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Financial Crime
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In January 2025, Interpol began trialing the Silver Notice, a new color-coded system designed to help its 196 member countries track and seize criminal assets. This initiative marks the first such notice introduced by the international law enforcement agency in at least 20 years.
Why it matters
The tool aims to address the challenge that criminals typically retain 99% of their illegal gains, providing a dedicated mechanism for agencies to share information about assets held in foreign jurisdictions.
During the trial phase, participating countries uncovered at least $41 million in assets, including property, apartments, and livestock. The trial has involved 82 nations since it began in January 2025.
The players
Interpol
Interpol is the international criminal police organization with 196 member countries that facilitates global cooperation in police matters.
The details
The Silver Notice allows law enforcement to issue alerts regarding illicit cash, cryptocurrency, and physical assets, prompting other nations to search their national databases. Italy initiated the first request through this system, leading Brazilian authorities to successfully locate assets linked to a mafia member.
Timeline
Interpol initiated the Silver Notice trial in January 2025.
Italy submitted the first notice request in January 2025.
The official report on the initiative was published in September 2026.
Interpol will hold its general assembly in Hong Kong in November 2026.
Legal Context
The Silver Notice marks the first expansion of Interpol's color-coded notice system in two decades, representing a significant update to the agency's operational framework. This expansion reflects a broader shift toward formalizing international asset recovery as a standard component of global police cooperation.
This initiative provides law enforcement with a more effective way to seize criminal wealth that would otherwise remain hidden across borders. By tracking assets like real estate and livestock, authorities aim to diminish the financial power of organized crime syndicates worldwide.
The takeaway
The Silver Notice represents a shift toward more aggressive international asset tracking by standardizing how agencies share information on illicit wealth. Improved cross-border cooperation remains the most critical factor in reducing the high percentage of illegal gains that criminals currently keep.
What happens next
Interpol member nations are expected to vote on the full, permanent adoption of the Silver Notice tool during the upcoming general assembly meeting in Hong Kong in November 2026.
Further reading
For more information on how international authorities combat illicit wealth, visit Financial Crime.
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Do you believe international law enforcement cooperation effectively helps recover stolen criminal assets?
