Interpol's Secretary General Jürgen Stock has expressed concern about an unparalleled "epidemic" of cross-border organised crime.
The German official stressed that globally operating criminal groups are becoming "more powerful, more influential, more dangerous, and more violent".
He added that tackling organised crime is a communal responsibility. "Our community's stability is at stake," he said, noting that individual countries and regions alone cannot handle the growing security crisis.
With 196 member countries, Interpol is the world's largest organisation coordinating international police cooperation.