Almost all organised crime and counter-terrorism investigations will require electronic evidence – often located in another State.
Yet – to date – there is no single resource on how to secure this vital evidence from priority jurisdictions around the world.
Over the last two days – UNODC hosted an Expert Group Meeting in Vienna to discuss the compilation of a Global Guide to assist practitioners in the field.
With more than twenty different States, policy groups and service providers present – this was an opportunity to understand how to overcome challenges and provide practical advice in a useable format.
The Global Guide will provide practitioners with the confidence to know how to secure electronic evidence – using formal mutual legal assistance routes and direct approaches to service providers.
There is still much to be done – but this EGM was an important first stage to prioritise essential procedures and required information for inclusion in the draft Guide.