Interpol Silver Notice

The Silver Notice is a relatively new addition to Interpol’s colour-coded notification system. It was formally approved at the 90th General Assembly in New Delhi in 2022, following years of development that began at the 84th General Assembly in Kigali in 2015. The notice was created in direct response to the growing need to combat international money laundering, terrorist financing, and the concealment of criminal proceeds across jurisdictions.

Unlike the Red Notice, which targets persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence, the Silver Notice is directed at assets — specifically, assets suspected of being the proceeds of crime or used to finance criminal activity. It requests that member states provide information about property, financial accounts, real estate, or other assets held by a named individual within their territory. The Silver Notice does not itself freeze or confiscate assets; it is an information-gathering tool that can, however, serve as a precursor to formal asset recovery proceedings.

A Silver Notice is issued by Interpol’s General Secretariat at the request of a member state. The requesting country must provide sufficient information to establish that a named individual is suspected of criminal activity and that assets may be held in other member states. Interpol circulates the notice to all or selected member states, which are then invited to search their financial records, property registries, and other databases and report back.

The Silver Notice pilot programme was launched in 2022 under the supervision of Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC). The pilot was reviewed at the 91st General Assembly in Vienna in 2023, where the Expert Working Group presented its findings. The system is now being rolled out more broadly, meaning Silver Notices are becoming an increasingly common tool in international asset-recovery cases.

Importantly, the Silver Notice is governed by Interpol’s Rules on the Processing of Data (RPD) and must comply with Interpol’s Constitution, including Article 3, which prohibits Interpol from undertaking activities of a political, military, religious, or racial character. As with Red Notices, member states and individuals have the right to challenge Silver Notices before Interpol’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF).

Like all Interpol notices, the Silver Notice is subject to review by the Commission for the Control of Files (CCF). Any person who believes that a Silver Notice was issued in violation of Interpol’s rules has the right to file a complaint with the CCF Requests Chamber. Our lawyers can assist at every stage:

Access Request: The first step is often to confirm what data Interpol holds. An Access Request to the CCF will establish whether a Silver Notice has been issued and what information is being circulated about you.

Deletion or Correction Request: If the notice violates Interpol’s rules — for example, because it is politically motivated, lacks a proper legal basis, or concerns an individual who has been acquitted — we file a formal Deletion Request with the CCF. We document the legal grounds in full and present supporting evidence including court decisions, country condition reports, and expert opinions.

Preventive Request: If you have reason to believe a Silver Notice may be issued against you in the near future, a Preventive Request can be filed asking the CCF to block publication. This is particularly useful for individuals who are aware of ongoing criminal proceedings abroad.