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Criminals, Terrorists Exploiting Technology to Access Hazardous Chemicals – INTERPOL Warns
Criminals, Terrorists Exploiting Technology to Access Hazardous Chemicals – INTERPOL Warns
INTERPOL has warned that criminal and terrorist groups are increasingly exploiting emerging technologies, international supply chains and trafficking routes to obtain and divert chemicals of concern.
The warning was issued as representatives of 110 INTERPOL member countries gathered in Panama City for the 2026 Plenary Meeting of the Global Congress on Chemical Security and Emerging Threats.
INTERPOL said advances in technology, including dual-use technologies, alongside evolving trafficking methods, are creating new challenges for authorities seeking to identify suspicious activity.
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The organisation stressed that no country or sector can tackle chemical terrorism alone, urging stronger regional networks, faster intelligence-sharing, and closer cooperation between governments and industry.
October 02, () – The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has warned that criminal and terrorist groups are increasingly exploiting emerging technologies, global supply chains and trafficking routes to gain access to and divert chemicals of concern.
The warning came as representatives from 110 INTERPOL member countries met in Panama City, Panama, for the 2026 Plenary Meeting of the Global Congress on Chemical Security and Emerging Threats.
The four-day meeting, held from September 21 to 24, brought together about 370 participants drawn from governments, law enforcement and defence agencies, the chemical industry, academia and international organisations to strengthen international cooperation against chemical and explosives terrorism.
INTERPOL said the discussions were driven by growing concerns over the ability of non-state actors to exploit weaknesses in the chemical supply chain, particularly as technology and international commerce continue to evolve.
According to the organisation, criminal and terrorist actors are operating with increasing complexity, scale and speed, making it necessary for authorities across countries and sectors to exchange intelligence more rapidly and coordinate their responses.
Stephen Fry, INTERPOL Executive Director of Investigation Support, said international security cooperation must evolve at the same pace as the threats.
“Non-state actors are operating with increasing complexity, scale, and speed,” Fry said, stressing that international cooperation was essential in confronting threats that do not respect national borders.
He called for stronger legal frameworks, seamless intelligence-sharing and greater cooperation among agencies and sectors, rather than isolated national responses.
Technology, Supply Chains Under Spotlight
Singapore September 28 2014 The International Criminal Police Organization or INTERPOL is an intergovernmental organization facilitating international police cooperation It was established as the International Criminal Police Commission ICPC in 1923 and adopted its telegraphic address as its common name in 1956 The organizations headquarters is in Lyon France The organization maintains an Interpol Global Complex for Innovation ICGI in Singapore to act as its research and development facility
The Panama meeting examined emerging threats associated with chemical security, including dual-use technologies, biotoxins, pharmaceutical-based agents and vulnerabilities within the global chemical supply chain.
INTERPOL said legitimate commercial systems and technologies could be exploited by criminals and terrorists seeking to acquire or divert materials capable of causing serious harm.
The organisation said the challenge was particularly complex because many chemicals have legitimate uses in industries ranging from manufacturing and agriculture to pharmaceuticals and other consumer products.
Such dual-use characteristics make it difficult to simply restrict access without affecting legitimate economic and scientific activities.
INTERPOL has previously warned that terrorists have exploited e-commerce, online platforms and other technologies to obtain toxic and precursor chemicals.
At its 2022 Global Congress in Marrakesh, Morocco, the organisation said terrorists had been exploiting e-commerce and emerging technologies to acquire chemicals, while law enforcement agencies shared investigative methods for detecting illicit purchases and sales through online and darknet channels.
Five Priorities For Stronger Chemical Security
The Panama meeting highlighted five priorities aimed at translating international cooperation into stronger operational capabilities.
Among them is the strengthening of regional networks within the Global Congress community to facilitate faster information exchange and enable countries to respond collectively to emerging chemical security challenges.
Participants also called for stronger mechanisms to ensure that information on emerging threats is shared quickly among network members.
Another priority is proactive monitoring of dual-use technological innovation, including efforts to identify and mitigate potential security risks while using technology to improve prevention and detection.
The congress further called for targeted cross-sector initiatives involving government, industry, defence, security and academia, while urging the continued expansion of the Global Congress network to include more relevant actors across the chemical supply chain.
INTERPOL said such cooperation was necessary because technological development and globalisation could create opportunities for both legitimate activity and criminal exploitation.
No Country Can Face Threat Alone
Maria Carmen Munoz, INTERPOL’s Director of Counter-Terrorism, stressed the importance of international cooperation in addressing chemical terrorism, while participants at the congress highlighted the need for trusted partnerships and sustained information-sharing.
The organisation said joint government-industry exercises and increased use of INTERPOL’s Orange and Purple Notices were among the practical measures being employed to improve responses to emerging threats.
Orange Notices are used by INTERPOL to warn of an event, person, object or process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety, while Purple Notices can be used to seek or provide information on criminal methods, procedures, objects, devices or concealment methods.