LYON, France: Interpol has introduced a new tool to help police forces worldwide locate money and other assets hidden by criminals. An Italian mafia case was among the first to show how the system could be used.

The new tool, known as the "Silver Notice", allows police in Interpol's 196 member countries to share information when they are looking for criminal assets. These can include cash, cryptocurrency, cars, property, boats and other forms of illegal wealth.

Interpol said criminals have generally been able to keep about 99 percent of the money they make through illegal activities. The new alert system is designed to help police trace more of this money and recover it.

The system has been tested since January 2025. Nicholas Court, Interpol's director of task force coordination, said 82 countries involved in the trial had so far identified criminal assets worth at least 36 million euros (US$41 million).

"Over time, the hope is that 36 million grows significantly and we start moving the needle and taking more of the money away from criminals by helping our countries to find out where they've stashed their illicit wealth," Court told The Associated Press at Interpol's headquarters in Lyon, France.

The Silver Notice is intended to make it easier for police in different countries to work together when criminal assets are located outside the country where the crime occurred.

Interpol said Italy requested the first Silver Notice sent to member countries in January last year. Italian authorities were seeking information on assets belonging to a senior mafia member.

The court said Italian authorities knew the criminal controlled a large amount of money but believed much of it was held outside Italy. The notice was sent to Interpol members, and Brazil responded within days.

Brazilian authorities searched their databases and found several assets connected to the criminal and people associated with him. These included property, apartments, and livestock.

Brazil and Italy are now working together to return the assets found in Brazil to Italy.

The system is expected to be formally adopted after Interpol's member countries vote on it at the organization's general assembly in Hong Kong in November.

Interpol already uses several color-coded notices to help police forces cooperate internationally. The best-known is the "Red Notice", which is used to alert member countries when authorities are looking for people suspected of serious crimes.

The Silver Notice is the first new color-coded notice introduced by Interpol in at least 20 years.