India, represented by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), has been included in the Steering Committee of the ‘Asset Recovery Interagency Network Asia Pacific’ (ARIN-AP), giving it a role in decision-making and administrative responsibilities within the organisation.
Key Facts About ARIN-AP
- About: ARIN-AP is a multi-agency network to exchange information on individuals, companies, and assets in the Asia-Pacific region with the intention of facilitating the pursuit and recovery of proceeds of unlawful activities.
- It is a member of the Global Camden Asset Recovery Inter-agency Network (CARIN).
- Objectives: Focus on the proceeds of all crimes, within the framework of international obligations.
- Form a solid international network with other related organisations such as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and CARIN.
- Facilitate and promote training in all aspects of tackling the proceeds of crime.
- To increase the effectiveness of members’ efforts in depriving criminals of their illicit profits by tackling the proceeds of crime
- Membership: It includes 28 member jurisdictions and nine observers to facilitate cross-border collaboration on asset tracing, freezing, and confiscation.
- Secretariat: The Secretariat’s role is handled by the Korean Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (SPO).
Asset Recovery
- Asset Recovery is the process of tracing, freezing, confiscating and returning funds that have been obtained through illegal means.
- The adoption of “The United Nations Convention against Corruption” (UNCAC) in 2003 enshrined, for the first time, the recovery and repatriation of stolen assets as a fundamental principle of international public law.
- It has firmly established Asset Recovery on the international policy agenda.
Key Points Related to CARIN
- About: CARIN is an informal network or an inter-agency network represented by law enforcement and judicial experts (e.g., prosecutors or judges) from each member state.
- Purpose: It supports the full asset recovery process—from asset tracing to freezing, seizure, management, forfeiture/confiscation, and cross-jurisdictional asset sharing.
- Secretariat: The CARIN permanent Secretariat is based at Europol Headquarters in the Hague.
- Membership: CARIN currently has 61 registered member jurisdictions, including 27 EU Member States and 13 international organisations.
- It is also linked to the other seven regional asset recovery inter-agency networks (ARINs) across the globe.
- Finance: It is funded by the European Union.
- Structure and Communication: Member representatives are designated as “national contact points” and are English-speaking, as English is the network’s working language.
- Functioning: The organisation is governed by a Steering Group of nine members and a rotating annual Presidency.