Interpol’s dark web task force will soon be built to Malaysia and other five Southeast Asian countries

PETALING JAYA: Interpol will expand its Project Pandora initiative to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, next year to help crack down on biological threats emerging on the dark web.

The expansion will include countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

“It’s planned for Q1 next year, and we hope to further support these five countries in building their capacity to investigate the dark net and stop illegal activities,” said Adrien Sivignon, coordinator of Interpol’s counter-terrorism directorate, at a virtual forum on cyber security and defence today.

He said the dark web had allowed non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, easier access to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive materials, collectively known as CBRNE.

“CBRNE are weapons of mass destruction, which are major threats and a big issue on the dark net.

“On the dark web, there are some marketplaces that make these available, and include propaganda material that are terrorist-related, as well as chemical or biological materials.”

He said recent Interpol research also found that a large portion of firearms and light weapons used in homicides were procured through the dark web.

“Another trend and threat is related to Covid-19, such as (the sale of) fake vaccines last year before vaccines became available and what appeared to be samples of Covid-19 (virus).”

He said users who access the dark web must be wary of scams and they would be better off looking to buy products through normal channels, pointing to personal protective equipment that was sold on the dark web during global shortages that proved to be scams.

“When something is available on the dark net … be really careful and look for it on an official website instead,” he said.