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Stolen Passport Ringleader Exposed: INTERPOL’s SLTD Database Foils Global Crimes
The United States is one of the largest contributors to INTERPOL’s Stolen/Lost Travel Document database (SLTD), with over 3 million records currently on file, according to a recent statement from INTERPOL Washington. This massive repository of information helps prevent the illicit international travel of criminals and terrorists by providing a searchable database of passports, visas, and identity documents that have been reported stolen or lost.
Designed as an investigative tool for law enforcement and border protection entities, SLTD allows authorized users to query specific passport numbers. The database returns information on suspect documents, including the issuing country, document type, document number, date of theft/loss, and certain information related to the circumstances of the theft or loss.
A country’s passport issuing authority, through its corresponding National Central Bureau (NCB), is the only entity authorized to enter and modify records in SLTD pertaining to the loss or theft of its national travel documents. The United States is one of the largest contributors to SLTD, with over 3 million records currently on file and updates occurring on a daily basis.
INTERPOL Washington, the U.S. National Central Bureau, manages U.S. participation in the SLTD program. Its related responsibilities include ensuring the timely and accurate entry of stolen/lost U.S. passport data into SLTD upon receipt from the U.S. Department of State, establishing and maintaining SLTD query access by U.S. law enforcement and border inspection authorities, and performing verification and resolution in cases involving foreign passports recorded in SLTD presented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at all U.S. ports of entry.
According to INTERPOL, the database has become a crucial tool in preventing global crimes. In 2013, U.S. authorities conducted over 238 million SLTD queries, the majority of which came from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The United States currently screens the passports of all persons entering the country against SLTD. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State queries all U.S. visa applicants’ passports against the database. The success of SLTD has not gone unnoticed, with international organizations such as the G8, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the United Nations Security Council endorsing the program.
INTERPOL’s SLTD database has proven to be a powerful tool in fighting global crimes. With over 40 million records currently on file, it is clear that this database will continue to play a key role in keeping our communities safe.
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Organized Crime|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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