Interpol Starts Its Own Police Metaverse

Interpol – an international organization of law enforcement that has been helping to try find Do Kwon, co-founder of Terraform Labs, the company behind the collapsed Terra blockchain – has launched what it calls the "first global police metaverse, specifically designed for law enforcement worldwide."

The announcement was made Thursday at the 90th Interpol General Assembly in New Delhi.

Its purpose will range from offering immersive training courses to law enforcement across the globe, to touring the virtual facsimile of the Interpol General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, France, to interacting with other officers via their avatars.

Interpol is an abbreviation of "international police." The organization has issued a "red notice" for Kwon, who faces a warrant for his arrest in South Korea on charges of fraud.

“For many, the metaverse seems to herald an abstract future, but the issues it raises are those that have always motivated Interpol – supporting our member countries to fight crime and making the world, virtual or not, safer for those who inhabit it,” Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said in a press release.

Interpol also announced it is forming a metaverse expert group, which will represent concerns of law enforcement on the global stage. The World Economic Forum, a partner organization of Interpol's, has warned that "social engineering scams, violent extremism and misinformation could be particular challenges" in the metaverse.

“By identifying these risks from the outset, we can work with stakeholders to shape the necessary governance frameworks and cut off future criminal markets before they are fully formed,” Madan Oberoi, Interpol's executive director of technology and innovation, said in the release.

Read More: Interpol Issues Red Notice for Do Kwon: Report