There has been an alarming increase in cyber crime in Latin America in recent years, as technology has advanced. From data theft to digital fraud, cyber crime is a threat that knows no borders.
The Police Community of the Americas (Ameripol) has played a key role in coordinating law enforcement efforts at the international level to combat this growing trend, and a recent operation dismantled an international network dedicated to crime as a service (CaaS), in which cyber criminals offer their computing capabilities as a service to other criminals.
InSight Crime spoke with Major Commander Gabriel Riveros, head of Ameripol’s Cyber Crime Specialized Center (AC3), about the organizations’ achievements and the challenges it faces in the fight against cyber crime in the region.
Insight Crime (IC): Why was Ameripol created, and how has it adapted to the needs of Latin America?
Gabriel Riveros (GR): Ameripol was created in 2007 in Bogotá, with the goal of adapting the Europol model approach to police cooperation to the specific realities and needs of Latin America. Here, we face different threats, such as drug trafficking and now, increasingly, cyber crime. So Ameripol has worked to coordinate joint actions and develop specialized strategies to confront these threats.
IC: Tell us about Ameripol’s specialized cyber crime center, known as AC3, and the work it does?
GR: AC3 is our specialized cyber crime center in Buenos Aires. Since I took over at the end of 2022, we have managed to coordinate several transnational investigations dealing with cyber crime. Operation KAERB, for example, was a flagship case.
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IC: Can you explain what Operation KAERB consisted of, and why it was so important?
GR: KAERB was a crucial operation because it focused on a crime model known as “crime as a service,” where technology platforms offer services to other criminals. This investigation addressed the physical theft of cell phones, followed by the unlocking of the stolen devices through “phishing” — which uses fake emails and sites to trick someone into providing their credentials — and then reselling them.
IC: How does the “crime as a service” model work in this type of operation?
GR: In this case, we clearly saw the division of roles between the physical and digital worlds. The criminals would physically steal the cell phones in Spain, and then, using phishing, they would get the iCloud credentials to unlock them in Argentina.
IC: How does technology impact the spread of cyber crime?
GR: Cyber crime is expanding rapidly because technology allows criminals to operate from anywhere in the world. It is like a new “Silk Road” for criminals, who take advantage of digital platforms to expand their activities.
IC: What role did international cooperation play in the success of the KAERB operation?
GR: It was essential. KAERB was the first major collaborative operation between Ameripol and Europol in the field of cyber crime, involving several jurisdictions including Argentina, Spain, and Ecuador. The partnership with Europol and collaboration with the private sector, such as GROUP IB, allowed for a comprehensive approach.
IC: What challenges did you face in coordinating the operation in different countries?
GR: Coordinating between different jurisdictions is always a challenge, but the key was building trust between the police forces of different countries. In KAERB, the Spanish security forces conducted raids in their territory, but thanks to the cooperation with Argentina, we were able to dismantle the entire criminal structure.
IC: What lessons have been learned from KAERB for future cyber crime operations?
GR: The most important lesson is that we need to rely more on transnational cooperation. Also, it is vital to understand how these networks operate. Without that trust and understanding of how the criminal structure worked in this case, we would not have been so successful.
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IC: In addition to law enforcement, what role does prevention play in the fight against cyber crime?
GR: Prevention is key. We cannot focus solely on arrests and statistics, we must also work to educate society about the risks of cyber crime. Investing in public awareness is essential to mitigating these crimes.
IC: How can the legal response to cyber crime in Latin America be improved?
GR: One of the problems we face is that many legislations have not yet adapted to deal with 21st century crimes. In many cases, we analyze modern criminal conduct with old laws. We need to update regulations to reflect the reality of cyber crime.
IC: Finally, what is the message for cyber criminals operating in the region?
GR: The message is clear: if we have the will and the necessary conditions, we can reach them, no matter where in the world they are operating.
*This interview was edited for clarity and fluency.
Featured image: Technology seized in Ecuador by Ameripol as part of an anti-cyber crime operation. Credit: Ameripol