Uppsala Security Conducted a Training on Virtual Assets and Open-Source Intelligence in Mauritius, as Part of an Event Organized by AFRIPOL and INTERPOL
Singapore, June 12th, 2024 — In a recent initiative to combat transnational organized crime, the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) in collaboration with INTERPOL hosted critical training sessions focusing on virtual assets and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques. These sessions were held in May 2024 in Mauritius, under the umbrella of INTERPOL’s ISPA project (INTERPOL Support Programme for the African Union in relation to AFRIPOL), supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, AFRIPOL, and the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) project of INTERPOL supported by the Council of Europe.
Uppsala Security was present at the event and provided training during the first week, from May 20th to May 24th. The training aimed to enhance the skills of 37 law enforcement officers from 10 countries in tackling cybercrime, particularly in the areas of virtual asset management and fraud. Ipsita Das and Athul Harilal from Uppsala Security, who led the sessions, highlighted the importance of understanding blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies transaction patterns to better prepare officers for legal challenges in investigations.
Athul Harilal, who works in Cryptocrime Intelligence at Uppsala Security and serves as a Consultant for INTERPOL, commented on the scope of the training, “Our goal is to empower law enforcement with the knowledge and tools to navigate and dismantle cybercrime efficiently. Understanding the technical underpinnings of cryptocurrencies and blockchain is crucial for this.”
Ipsita Das, Head of Business Development at Uppsala Security, added, “These sessions were designed not only to provide theoretical knowledge but also practical skills through real-life scenarios including Ponzi schemes, and scams involving smart contracts and NFTs. It’s about turning knowledge into actionable intelligence.”
The training addressed the following challenges faced by law enforcement officers:
- Conduct a deep dive into the concepts of blockchain and cryptocurrency to enhance preparedness for justifying findings in a court of law;
- Introduce open-source tools available for various cryptocurrency ecosystems, which can be leveraged for investigations when commercial tools are not available;
- Illustrate the cryptocrime landscape and current trends, and explain how these can be identified and investigated using open-source tools;
- Engage participants in practical exercises concerning real-life scenarios such as Ponzi schemes, smart contract, and NFT-based scams.
Participants also received certification from the Uppsala Academy upon completion, which included a test where participants analyzed complex scenarios and justified their findings.
This collaborative effort marks a significant step in strengthening the capabilities of law enforcement agencies across multiple nations to address and mitigate the complexities of cybercrime effectively.
About Uppsala Security
Uppsala Security is a leading provider of innovative security tools and services, specializing in Crypto Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF), Transaction Risk Management, Regulatory Compliance, and Transaction Tracking. With a team of experts dedicated to staying ahead of emerging Web3 threats, Uppsala Security empowers both end-users and organizations with the knowledge and tools to safeguard their operations in the fast-paced world of cryptocurrencies.
