Explained: Different Types of Notices Issued by INTERPOL
INTERPOL helps police in 195 countries work together using colour-coded notices to track criminals, missing persons and security threats.
Many times we hear the term INTERPOL in news and videos. While many people know it stands for the International Criminal Police Organization, not everyone clearly understands what it does and how it works.
INTERPOL was founded in 1923 and acts like a global help centre where police from different countries share information. It is important to note that INTERPOL is not a world police force and does not arrest people on its own. Instead, it supports cooperation among police agencies in 195 countries. For example, if a criminal escapes from India to another country, INTERPOL helps the police of both countries coordinate.
One of INTERPOL’s main tools is the system of coloured Notices. These are special alerts sent to police worldwide about wanted persons, missing people, dangers or criminal methods. Each colour has a different purpose.
The Red Notice is the most well known. It is issued to locate and provisionally arrest a person wanted for a serious crime. The Blue Notice is used to collect more information about a person’s identity or activities. The Green Notice warns countries about individuals known to be dangerous.
The Yellow Notice helps in finding missing persons, especially children, while the Black Notice is used to identify unknown dead bodies. The Orange Notice warns about dangerous objects or threats, and the Purple Notice shares information about new methods used by criminals.
In 2025, INTERPOL introduced the Silver Notice, which focuses on tracing criminal assets such as illegal money, property or bank accounts hidden in other countries. Another important alert is the Special Notice linked to the United Nations Security Council, which highlights individuals or groups connected to terrorism or under UN sanctions.
Apart from notices, INTERPOL also uses something called a Diffusion. This is a faster and simpler alert sent directly between countries when urgent help is needed.
Overall, these systems allow police forces around the world to work together more effectively. Each notice serves a different purpose, but the common goal is to improve international cooperation and help keep people safe.
