Interpol Notices

One of INTERPOL’s most important functions is to help police in its 188 member countries share critical crime-related information using the organization’s system of international notices.

A notice is a search bulletin published in INTERPOL’s four official languages (English, French, Spanish and Arabic), at the request of the National Central Bureaus (NCBs).

Notices are used to locate, trace and arrest international fugitives; search for a missing person or; identify a person or an unidentified body.

There are seven types of notices:

1. RED NOTICE:
   To seek arrest of a wanted person for whom an arrest warrant has been issued and where extradition will likely be requested. (Note: An arrest warrant from another country has no legal status in Canada.)
2. BLUE NOTICE:
   To locate persons and collect information on identity or illegal activities in relation to a criminal matter (unidentified offenders, witnesses).
3. GREEN NOTICE:
   To provide warnings or criminal intelligence about persons who have committed offences and are likely to repeat these crimes in other countries (habitual offenders, child molesters, pedophiles).
4. YELLOW NOTICE:
   To locate missing persons.
5. BLACK NOTICE:
   To identify bodies.
6. ORANGE NOTICE:
   Warns police, public institutions and other international organizations of dangerous materials, criminal acts or events that pose a potential threat to public safety.
7. INTERPOL-UN SECURITY COUNCIL SPECIAL NOTICE:
   Issued for groups and individuals associated with Al-Qaeda and the Taliban and subject to sanctions through the freezing of assets, travel bans and arms embargoes.