Interior Minister strengthens international cooperation in the fight against online scams and transnational crime
DÍLI, 25 September 2026 (TATOLI) – The Minister of Interior, Francisco da Costa Guterres, attended the International Conference on Combating Online Scams (ICCOS 2026) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on September 23rd and 24th, 2026, where he presented the measures adopted by Timor-Leste to address the growth of transnational online fraud networks, organised cybercrime, and human trafficking.
The conference, under the theme “Joint Action to Break the Cycle and Eradicate Online Scams”, brought together government representatives, police and law enforcement authorities, financial regulators, cybersecurity experts, technology companies, international organisations, academic institutions, and civil society to strengthen international coordination in the prevention and combating of these forms of crime.
In his address, the Minister of Interior highlighted the transnational nature of online scam networks, which use digital platforms and financial systems to operate across jurisdictions, and warned of their growing links to human trafficking and forced labour.
Francisco da Costa Guterres, in this regard, referred to operations carried out in Dili and surrounding areas, during which authorities identified evidence of human trafficking linked to online fraud. More than 50 workers were found without their passports, and cases were identified in which people had been deceived about the nature of the work and subsequently coerced into participating in illicit activities. In this context, the Minister advocated the protection of victims and the application of the principle of non-punishment for persons forced to commit crimes.
Timor-Leste’s response to this phenomenon includes the National Integrated Plan for the Prevention and Combating of Transnational Digital Financial Fraud Networks, Online Scams, Organised Cybercrime and Human Trafficking 2026–2031. The Plan establishes a national coordination framework and strengthens the capacities of institutions responsible for security, migration, and financial oversight.
Among the priorities presented by Timor-Leste at the conference were strengthening legal assistance and information sharing between countries, cooperation to identify and block funds derived from illicit activities, and greater coordination with telecommunications operators and companies responsible for digital platforms. Timor-Leste also advocated strengthening mechanisms for the protection, consular assistance, and repatriation of victims of human trafficking associated with these networks.
The Minister further reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with ASEANAPOL, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and partner countries, particularly through information sharing and technical, consular, and judicial collaboration.
TATOLI
