UK joins Asean talks on transnational crime for the first time
JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The United Kingdom has for the first time participated in the Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) through an open consultation during the forum's 25th session held in Putrajaya, Malaysia from June 23 to 27.
The UK's involvement, represented by its Home Office Director of International Strategy, Engagement and Devolution Asim Hafeez, marks a significant step in its expanding partnership with Southeast Asia on regional security and law enforcement, according to a statement from the UK Mission to Asean.
During the session, the UK and Vietnam jointly presented a proposal for future regional efforts to combat trafficking in persons and scam centres, which were described as causing serious harm and undermining security across the region.
The engagement builds on existing UK-ASEAN cooperation, including a partnership between the UK's National Crime Agency and the ASEAN Chiefs of Police (ASEANPOL), and support for establishing an ASEAN Money Laundering Working Group in partnership with Malaysia and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
UK Ambassador to Asean Sarah Tiffin said the country was committed to working with Asean to tackle serious organised crime.
"These crimes not only harm individuals and communities, they erode trust, fuel corruption, weaken governance, and threaten the rule of law,' she said.
She said that the UK is pleased to support regional efforts against fraud and illicit finance, which are seen as drivers of organised crime and instability.
The UK has pledged to back the UNODC-INTERPOL Global Fraud Summit in Vienna in March 2026 and will host an Illicit Finance Summit in London, both aimed at strengthening international cooperation and advancing global standards.
Malaysia, which holds the Asean chair in 2025, also welcomed the deeper ties with the UK, particularly in efforts to strengthen financial integrity, tackle online scams, and dismantle criminal networks exploiting regional vulnerabilities. - Bernama
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