Cameroon's Société de Recouvrement des Créances (SRC), or Debt Recovery Company, aims to expand its reach beyond national borders by leveraging Interpol's innovative "Silver Notice." This initiative is part of a broader effort to combat money laundering and improve the recovery of illicit assets hidden abroad.
Marie Rose Messi, the General Manager of the SRC, emphasizes that this international outreach is essential to ensure the effectiveness of recovery operations. According to her, the "Silver Notice" offers new opportunities for states engaged in the search for assets derived from criminal activities.
Launched by Interpol in 2025, the "Silver Notice" allows member countries to disseminate alerts and information requests worldwide regarding assets linked to illegal activities such as fraud, corruption, drug trafficking, and environmental crime. The main goal is to facilitate the identification of laundered or concealed assets, whether they are real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, or business shares.
The SRC hopes to improve its recovery rate, which, according to an audit report by the Audit Chamber of the Supreme Court, remained below 30% between 2018 and 2022, on a debt portfolio valued at 597 billion FCFA. The General Directorate is advocating for increased recovery of non-tax revenues, stressing that criminal assets represent a potential source of improved public finances.
Beyond the "Silver Notice," the SRC is also focusing on strengthening the operational capacities of the concerned administrations. It organized a training session in Yaoundé, in collaboration with the national police and Interpol experts, on combating corruption, money laundering, and the recovery of criminal assets.
Interpol's "Silver Notice," by facilitating the identification and location of criminal assets abroad, could play a crucial role in improving the SRC's recovery performance. It remains to be seen whether this tool, combined with enhanced judicial cooperation and effective national procedures, will enable the SRC to achieve its objectives and contribute significantly to the revenues of the Cameroonian State.
