The AFP continues to work with its Thai counterparts to combat scams and organized crime
Sharing digital forensic skills and experience is a key part of the 30-year-old law enforcement partnership.
Last month, Australia’s Ambassador to Thailand, Dr Angela Macdonald PSM, joined senior officials from the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to open the Australia Room at the Royal Thai Police Forensic Center.
The Australia Room, with support from the Mekong-Australia Partnership, will serve as a forensic training center for police scientists from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Macdonald was joined by AFP chief scientist Dr Simon Walsh and RTP forensic commissioner General Trairong Piwpan for the opening.
The Australia Room is the latest element of a 30-year traditional and digital forensic partnership between Thailand and Australia.
“The AFP has worked with its scientific colleagues in Thailand for over 30 years,” Macdonald said in a statement last week.
“Australian experts benefit greatly from the experiences of our regional partners. Ideas, knowledge and inspiration: Some of their most innovative solutions to forensic challenges in Australia have been influenced by observing how our international colleagues apply unique treatments to problems arising in their countries.
AFP Assistant Commissioner David McLean said digital forensics skills were in demand across the region.
“Our international partners have made it clear that these specialist forensics and digital forensics skills are crucial in the fight against organized crime groups operating in the region and targeting Australia,” McLean said.
“Not only do they grow opium for heroin and manufacture methamphetamine, but they are also heavily involved in human trafficking and cyber scams originating from many fraud hubs just outside of Thailand . Improving forensic skills is another step in which we work with regional partners to protect our respective communities.
McLean also stressed that the AFP had much to learn from its Thai colleagues.
“The drug profiling work carried out by our Thai colleagues provides us with vital intelligence to ultimately disrupt drug trafficking across Thailand,” McLean said.
“This results in drugs being seized in Thailand and neighboring countries before they even reach Australia, and the subsequent prosecution of drug traffickers. »
