HISTORY OF ICTOCT

Once upon a time, in the early 1970’s, Chinatowns in New York and Boston were being controlled by the Chinese gangs. It became a major problem when these gangs began to form organized crime groups and waging war between each other terrorizing the community resulting in a major public safety issue.

In 1978, Detectives from the Boston and New York Police Departments recognized the need to meet, share information and network in their quest to combat these Asian gangs and organized crime groups. Discovering that these gangs also extended their activities in other communities around the US and Canada including Asia, law enforcement Investigators from Toronto and Montreal joined the meetings which became known as the International Asian Organized Crime Conference (IAOCC).

Throughout the years, the conference grew to include more agencies around the world who realized the importance of this elite conference. The annual conference was held in many different cities in the United States and Canada; from Boston, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Washington DC, Houston, San Francisco, St. Paul, Los Angeles, Orlando, Scottsdale, Las Vegas and Honolulu to name a few.

Since the events of 9-11, a new era of criminality became the forefront of law enforcement. The main focus in law enforcement has turned to terrorism. We also now know that Asian organized crime plays a significant role in the support of domestic and international terrorism. "Terrorism" has always been the challenge and cause by these same gangs and organized crime enterprises. As a result of 9-11, several investigators including myself decided to create the International Organization of Asian Crime Investigators and Specialists (IOACIS).  This organization was started to maintain the existence of this elite law enforcement conference and provide innovative cutting-edge assistance, training and education for all investigators around the world.  The mission of IOACIS is interagency cooperation through communication, cooperation and collaboration.

Our major focus is interagency cooperation with law enforcement, military and private agencies. Working face to face, sharing information, communicating, cooperating and collaborating as partners in the intervention, prevention and prosecution of these violators and criminals.  The Conference has proven to be very effective throughout countless national and international investigations, with intelligence and information sharing among the various agencies in attendance.

The International Organization of Asian Crime Investigators and Specialists (IOACIS) is a non-profit, 501c3 corporation, consisting of active and retired members of highly professional and respected law enforcement investigators, specialists, prosecutors and academia from the various local, state and federal law enforcement agencies from around the world. Leading the change in the 21st Century through Communication, Cooperation and Collaboration.

IOACIS’ mission is to develop and provide a forum for law enforcement agents, officers, investigators and prosecutors who are in search of guidance, assistance, training, education, networking and advice for their investigations related to any criminal or illegal activities relative to organized crime or terrorism.

IOACIS will function as a tool in providing assistance with the planning and coordination process for the annual International Conference on Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism (ICTOCT) as well as other regional training conferences. It is through these conferences that the attendees will share information, network and receive training and education to assist with their investigations and prosecution of those individuals involved in criminal activity.

IOACIS is committed to the betterment of society and community worldwide in the interest of public safety and homeland security.

The mission and objectives of this organization is to provide a vehicle for members to exchange professional and fraternal relationships worldwide.

To strengthen global law enforcement community relations through education, training, outreach and networking.

To conduct training conferences and form a networking system for law enforcement communities worldwide.

To recognize accomplishments and strive for new achievements by recognizing and using the skills, creativity, and abilities that Criminal Investigators and specialists from around the world have demonstrated through their investigations and studies.

The goal of IOACIS is to also provide needed guidance, assistance, training, education and networking for all qualified law enforcement personnel related to criminal investigations specifically in the field of Organized Crime and Terrorism.

In 2004, topics of Terrorism was added to the conference and name, International Conference on Asian Organized Crime and Terrorism (ICAOCT).

With the age of the internet, cyber-crimes, bit coins, cyber security and artificial intelligence, the networking of these organized crime groups has become more and more complex. These violators have extended their criminal activities without jurisdictional boundaries and involved "Transnational" influences around the world, resulting in more difficulty for investigators to do their jobs, apprehend and prosecute. This conference not only features topics relative to gangs and Asian organized crime but the “hot topics and events” relative to terrorism as well. In 2013, the name of the ICAOCT was changed to best reflect the innovative, avant-garde program to the International Conference on Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism (ICTOCT).

The ICTOCT is open to all law enforcement personnel from the various local, state and federal Agents, Investigators, Prosecutors, Criminalists, Analysts, Intelligence Specialists, Military and Regional Security officials. In addition, thousands of international delegates from over 30 countries have attended the conference in the past. The conference is one of the largest elite law enforcement gatherings worldwide.  Some of the countries that have been represented at the conference include delegates from Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines, Samoa, Saipan, Poland, Mexico, Laos, Indonesia, Brunei, South Africa, India, France, Cambodia, Canada, Italy, Nigeria, Pakistan. Columbia, Trinidad and Tobago.