The Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks Involved in People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons (Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks) is co-chaired by New Zealand and Viet Nam and reports annually to the Bali Process Ad Hoc Group. It brings together a network of officials involved in aspects of law enforcement, and border control from the sixteen countries that form the Ad Hoc Group membership, plus Fiji and Interpol.

The Group is focused on delivering practical activities to enhance coordination amongst Bali Process Members to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks involved in people smuggling and trafficking in persons in the region. This is undertaken through the Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks’ Joint Period of Action, which typically involves two or more countries simultaneously targeting the same people smuggling or trafficking in persons syndicates through information exchange and coordinated investigative efforts in the participating countries.

The establishment of, and terms of reference for, the Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks was agreed at the Eighth Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials’ Meeting on 6 August 2014 in Canberra.