Heading the Mainland delegation was Deputy Director General of NCB China, Mr Yu Chengtao. As Hong Kong is a sub-bureau of NCB China, the conference was an excellent opportunity for the Force representatives to further strengthen relationships and discuss matters of mutual interest and concern with their Mainland counterparts.

A total of 251 delegates from 139 member countries took part in the conference from March 10 to 12. The Mainland delegation found the conference an excellent opportunity to share good practices and exchange valuable information with other law enforcement agencies, besides being a practical forum to enhance international collaboration in fighting transnational and organised crimes.

Throughout the conference, the determination to reinforce the partnership and co-operation with overseas counterparts was reiterated. This commitment to pursuing international co-operation in policing matters was highlighted by the success of several INTERPOL-led initiatives, most notable being the ongoing Operation SOGA to tackle illegal soccer gambling across Asia.

The operation has been coordinated by INTERPOL's Drugs and Criminal Organisations Unit at the General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, its Liaison Office in Bangkok and the INTERPOL Asia Pacific Expert Group on Asian Organised Crime, of which Organised Crime and Triad Bureau Chief Superintendent Yu Mun-sang is the chairman.

Operation SOGA was first launched in 2007 whilst Operation SOGA II was conducted in 2008 during which a total of 1,300 persons were arrested and more than HK$124.8 million worth of cash and assets were seized. Operation SOGA III will continue during the 2010 FIFA World Cup period.

Apart from attending the Heads of NCB Conference, the Force representatives also met with the Director of Information Systems and Technology, INTERPOL General Secretariat, Mr Noboru Nakatani, who is responsible for organising and co-hosting the 1st IISC with the Force.

Commenting on the contributions of IPSG and the seven organising sub-committees to the IISC, SP Tam said: "There is much to commend about the preparatory work being undertaken and the huge challenge in terms of logistics, which is being met by the Force with professionalism and the support of IPSG. IISC will be an event to be remembered and will undoubtedly heighten awareness of the importance of information security on a global level."

IISC will take place at the Auditorium and Multi-Purpose Hall at Police Headquarters between September 15 and 17. The objective of the conference is to provide a forum for law enforcement agencies worldwide, academia and relevant private industries to address information security issues in an international context with emphasis on awareness, preventive measures and incident response. It is expected to attract around 200 participants from INTERPOL member countries.

Force representatives attending preparatory meeting with INTERPOL staff in Lyon