The Internatinal Criminal Police Organisation (ICPO), generally known as INTERPOL, is a successor to the International Criminal Police Commission which was founded in 1923 at Vienna, Austria. Its aims are to ensure and promote the widest possible mutual assistance between all criminal plice authorities within the limits of the law existing in different countries and to establish and develop all institution and suppression of ordinary law crimes. It strictly forbids activities of political, military, racial and religious character.

A large number of countries totalling 114 and spanning all the six continents are member of the ICPO-Interpol.

The ICPO- Interpol has its headquarters at Paris where its General Secretaries is located. Te Secretary General, the Chief Executive of the ICPO-Interpol. looks after the working of the General Secreatariate. Besides the General Secretariate, the Organisation comprises the General Assembly, the Executive Committee and the National Central Bureau of the member countries.

India is a member of the ICPO-Interpol since 1938. Director, Central Bureau of Investigation is the head of the National Central Bureau and represents India in the Organisation.

The General Assembly of the Interpol holds its ordinary sessions once every year. The venue shifts place to place. The 42nd General Assembly session of the ICPO-Interpol is going to be held at Vienna, Austria this year from 2nd to 9th October, 1973. This is particularly significant in the view of the fact that the ICPO-Interpol is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year at Vienna, the place of its birth.

The General Assembly delibrates on subjects of varied international police interest and co-operation. Some of the important subjects discussed by it are:- (i) Theft of Cultural Property and works of art. (ii) Unlawful interference with international civil aviation. (iii) Drugs problem. (iv) International Curency Counterfeiting. (v) International Traffic of Women. (vi) Co-operation with regard to traffic in foreign currency and foreign exchange control. (vii) Creation of an international computerized search file. (viii) Powers and duties of police with regard to the search of persons and premises and the seizure of property. (ix) Police success rate: difficulties encountered in determining this. (x) Systamatic surveillance of international criminals. (xi) Fraudulent travel documents. (xii) Police Telecommunication.

The ICPO-Interpol brings out certain publications on matters of police interest. The publications comprise:- (i) A monthly magazine entitled 'International Police Review'. (ii) International Crime Statistics showing yearly statistics of crime under different major heads in the member countries. (iii) Summary report of cases of international drug traffic- monthly. This enlists the main cases of drug traffic of international nature. (iv) Counterfeits and forgery- monthly.

The ICPO-Interpol continues to render invaluable service to humanity in its fight against international crimes and criminals and in the field of international co-operation. The Indian P & T Department feels privileged to bring out a stamp to mark the completion of 50 years of useful service by the ICPO to the nations of the world.

The stamp design shows the emblem of the ICPO-Interpol. The First Day Cover depicts the new headquarters of the ICPO-Interpol at Paris.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India