Between May 6 and 8, the Technology Crime Division (TCD) of Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) set out to achieve all of these aims by co-hosting the first Regional Cyber Investigation Tools Workshop in collaboration with Microsoft and the Indian Government's Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC). In attendance were law enforcement agency representatives from Australia, India, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey and the USA, as well as officers from the Force and Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department.

For the past two years, Microsoft has been developing an effective tool for investigators to use at the scene of crime involving computers. Called Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor (COFEE), the tool is tailor-made for the sole use of preventing and detecting online crime.

Attendees at the workshop held on the Police College Aberdeen Campus, learned some of the latest techniques in onsite computer investigation. Mr Anthony Fung, Regional Investigation Manager with Microsoft, and Detective Senior Inspector Frank Law Yuet-wing from the TCD Training Team, led the training session during which a demonstration was made to show how COFEE can be deployed in a simple manner, and yet has a powerful and effective capability for analysis.

Senior directors from CDAC in India also made valuable presentations to show the progress of their research into new investigative and forensics tools. These tools provide investigators with an increasing array of resources to meet the complex needs of digital investigation and analysis. The attendees welcomed the efforts of the developers.

To round off the workshop, Mr Richard Turnbull, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions with the Department of Justice, provided an informative presentation on how to ensure that any digital evidence collected would be acceptable in court, as well as a few tips on presenting evidence as an expert witness.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, CCB Chief Superintendent Chan Yiu-kwok expressed his gratitude to Microsoft and CDAC for their efforts and assistance in organising this valuable workshop.

Mr Vipul Kumar, Assistant Director of the National India Police Academy in Hyderabad, echoed CSP Chan's sentiments and paid tribute to "the outstanding organisation of the workshop and the superb facilities available at the Police College". He also saw this event as "a perfect example of how law enforcement and IT co-operation must work together in the future to tackle the borderless nature of cybercrime".

Mr Vipul Kumar, the Assistant Director of the National India Police Academy in Hyderabad, speaks highly of the Force's capability in combatting cybercrime