LYON, France – INTERPOL’s global DNA database has recorded its 100th hit, enabling police in three different countries to link previously unconnected crimes to the same individual.

An anonymous DNA profile linked to a series of burglaries in Austria was sent to INTERPOL’s General Secretariat in Lyon, where a positive match was made via the INTERPOL database with a DNA profile submitted by Croatia two years earlier. This information was then combined with the suspect’s fingerprints at INTERPOL, tying him to burglaries in Germany. Within a relatively short period of time, one suspect using multiple aliases was tied to three different crimes in three different countries.

Established in 2002, INTERPOL’s unique global database currently contains more than 64,000 anonymous profiles from 42 countries, and has led to matches between 11 countries which otherwise might never have occurred.

'INTERPOL’s DNA database is a perfect example of how police can share information via INTERPOL to help connect and solve local crimes committed by international criminals in multiple countries,' said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

'DNA has shown itself to be invaluable in both proving the guilt or innocence of individuals at the national level, but INTERPOL’s global database helps to ensure that international criminals cannot evade detection and apprehension by fleeing the national jurisdiction where the crimes were committed.'

Member countries which have signed the INTERPOL DNA Charter now have immediate online access to the database, allowing law enforcement to submit and check records in seconds via I-24/7, INTERPOL’s global police communications system.

In order to maintain the highest levels of data protection, the charter states that DNA profiles entered into INTERPOL’s database remain anonymous, with member countries retaining ownership of the profile data and controlling its inclusion, access and destruction in accordance with their national laws. INTERPOL has especially promoted the use of its DNA database to help police determine whether a crime committed in their country was carried out by an international criminal through comparing DNA profiles in INTERPOL’s global database in a secure manner.

'Data protection is extremely important, not only in terms of respecting the privacy of individuals, but in maintaining the confidence of member countries which send us DNA profiles,' said Werner Schuller, head of identification services and DNA project manager at INTERPOL.

'The results already achieved speak for themselves, but as time goes on more countries will benefit from ‘cold hits’, which make matches either scene-to-scene, person-to-scene or person-to-person, all of which can be achieved without compromising the integrity of their investigation.'

The world’s largest police organization with 186 member countries, INTERPOL also provides police worldwide with access to a range of databases, including stolen and lost travel documents, suspected terrorists, fingerprints and international wanted persons.