Ongoing operations

An operation relies on discretion. Revealing a timetable or a location would allow traffickers to adapt their routes and would expose officers to risk. The rule is therefore simple: we publish after closure, never during.

This caution is shared with partners. It is written into the mandate of each operation and into the confidentiality agreement signed by participants.

Active operations fall into five families: border flow control, monitoring of online platforms, checking of auction rooms and fairs, protection of archaeological sites and support for returns.

Each family has a coordinator at the Secretariat, a network of national focal points and an internal dashboard updated weekly.

Anyone who discovers a suspect object, a dubious advertisement or a theft may report it. Reports of theft or loss are processed within 24 hours and give rise to a BIOP alert, visible to administrations and approved auction houses.

A report should be as precise as possible: description of the object, photographs, circumstances, contact details of the person reporting. It is handled confidentially.

Journalists can obtain general information on the cooperation policy, consolidated figures and interviews with experts. They cannot obtain information on an ongoing operation.

Requests are addressed to the press office, which replies as quickly as possible. A press release is issued when an important operation is closed, with the agreement of the States concerned.

Market professionals can contribute by verifying the provenance of the objects they receive, consulting the BIOP registry before any transaction and reporting anomalies. Museums can make experts available.

Public officials can apply to join the focal point network, with the agreement of their administration and after training at the Academy.