The Vatican has been accepted to Interpol to become the 187th member of the international crime fighting organisation. The official ceremony took place during Interpol’s General Assembly currently underway in St Petersburg.
A representative of the Vatican said it shares the values of the organisation concerning the fight against global challenges. The world’s smallest independent state has 460 inhabitants, with 160 serving in the Vatican Gendarme Corps. The Corps is in charge of security and public order, which encompass all regular police duties, including border control, crime prevention and investigation, and enforcement of financial and commercial regulations. The history of Interpol, headquartered in the French city of Lyon, dates back to 1923. The main goal of its establishment was to consolidate efforts made by law enforcement bodies of different countries in the struggle against the most hazardous crimes of an international nature. This year’s assembly, gathering 650 Interpol delegates from all over the world, will last for four days.