INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database is a searchable repository of information, most often related to criminals or terrorists, who attempt to cross borders using fraudulent, lost, or stolen travel documents.

1. Scope and Content

The SLTD database holds detailed records of travel and identity documents that have been:

• Stolen
• Lost
• Revoked
• Declared invalid
• Stolen blank (i.e., issued, but not yet filled in)

As of now, the database contains over 138 million entries, all submitted by Interpol´s member countries. Only the issuing country can upload records, typically through its National Central Bureau (NCB) or other authorised law enforcement agencies.

2. Global Impact and Reach

The scale and utilisation of the SLTD database are considerable. In 2023 alone, the system was queried more than 3.6 billion times, leading to over 232,000 positive matches (“hits”) at international border checkpoints, airports, and other critical control points. These hits often result in immediate intervention by local authorities, preventing illegal entry or exit.

3. How It Works

• Data Submission: National authorities report invalidated documents to INTERPOL.
• Real-Time Checks: Through the I-24/7 secure communication network, law enforcement worldwide can cross-reference travellers’ documents against SLTD entries.
• Instant Alerts: Matches trigger real-time alerts, enabling immediate verification and potential interdiction.

4. : I-Checkit: Extending Protection Beyond Borders

To facilitate the earlier detection of document fraud, INTERPOL has established I-Checkit. This public-private partnership enables authorised private-sector entities to screen passengers’ travel documents at the point of booking.

Before the implementation of I-Checkit, only law enforcement authorities with access to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure global police communications system, primarily at airports, border control points, or through National Central Bureaux (NCBs), were permitted to query travel documents against the SLTD database. As a result, verification was traditionally carried out at the point of departure, rather than at earlier stages of the travel process.

At present, I-Checkit is utilised by airlines and cruise operators. Future areas of expansion include the banking, financial services, and hospitality sectors. All participating entities must be duly vetted following INTERPOL’s rules and regulations, and their involvement is subject to formal endorsement by the INTERPOL NCB in the jurisdiction in which they are established.

6. When Does Screening Take Place

The timing of I-Checkit screenings is determined by the specific operational needs of the sector in which it is implemented. In the aviation industry, screenings are conducted at the point of check-in – whether online, at airport kiosks, or staffed counters.

In the maritime sector, a three-stage process is followed, with checks carried out seven days before departure, twenty-four hours before departure, and again on the day of departure. In other sectors where timing is less critical, such as banking, financial services, or hospitality, screenings may take place either in real time when a client seeks to access a service, or periodically, through batch screening of existing or recent client data.

7. Abuse of the System?

Not surprisingly, much like the Red Notice system, the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents Database (SLTD) has also been subject to abuse. An article published by Nordic Monitor on 4 February 2019 revealed how the Turkish government has systematically misused various INTERPOL mechanisms, including the SLTD, to target political opponents, government critics, and members of the Gülen movement.

In numerous cases, Turkish authorities falsely declared passports as lost or stolen, even though the passport holders had made no such claims. These fraudulent entries were then used to trigger INTERPOL alerts and trace individuals abroad. In some instances, this led to their temporary detention in countries such as Belgium and Romania. However, deportations did not follow, as the alerts lacked valid legal grounds.

This pattern of abuse has drawn alarm from international legal observers. According to Turkey’s own Ministry of Justice:

• Over 411,000 individuals have faced legal action for alleged Gülen affiliations since 2016.
• More than 130,000 public employees were dismissed and had their passports revoked, often without due process.
• A total of approximately 650,000 citizens may have been affected by passport invalidations, typically without judicial review.

It remains unclear how many of these cases were reported to INTERPOL via SLTD entries. Still, the scale of the crackdown is significant. In Germany alone, Turkey submitted 848 requests, including 791 arrest demands and 57 address verification requests, according to the German Ministry of Justice.

8. Conclusion

All these suggest that the parallels with Red Notice abuse are striking. But the SLTD system appears even more vulnerable than Red Notices. While Red Notices now face some scrutiny, SLTD entries remain unchecked. This makes SLTD a low-accountability, high-impact tool and ripe for exploitation by authoritarian regimes. Unless urgent safeguards are implemented, the international legal community must reconsider its trust in a system so easily weaponized against the Rule of Law.