With Hungary due to assume the European Union presidency on 1 January 2011, the meeting between Mr Hatala and INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble focused on regional and international security issues, including boosting international collaborative efforts against organized crime, drugs and human trafficking, as well as stolen motor vehicles and works of art.

“The opportunities created through international police co-operation with INTERPOL help to enhance the effectiveness of national police services and therefore of regional and international security,” said Mr Hatala.

With discussions between the National Police High Commissioner and Secretary General Noble also focusing on plans by Hungary and INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Budapest to expand access to INTERPOL’s global database of stolen and lost travel documents to the country’s international airports and 36 border crossings, the head of INTERPOL said that the international exchange of police information with all of its 188 member countries was key to ensuring national and international security.

"Making critical information available to frontline police officers nationally makes it significantly more difficult for fugitives to evade capture and makes all of our borders safer,” said Mr Noble, who praised Hungary’s participation in Operation Infra-Red earlier this year.

The INTERPOL-led Operation Infra-Red (International Fugitive Round-Up and Arrest – Red Notices) targeted 450 fugitives worldwide convicted or accused of serious crimes including murder, child sexual abuse, rape and drug trafficking. The operation saw more than 130 fugitives arrested or located in 32 countries.

The visit by Hungary’s police chief also took in Hungarian police operations against stolen motor vehicles and the preparation, planning and on-site support which INTERPOL can provide its member countries in such operations, through its Stolen Motor Vehicle Taskforce"

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