How to Conduct Overseas Investigation Operation
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1. I have in the course of my work conducted private investigation outside my country. In this article, I will try to discuss a few points on how to run a successful overseas operation based on my experience and exposure in such assignments.
2. First and foremost, we have to determine the need for an oversea operation by focusing on the objectives of the investigation. This type of operation should only be used if there are no other effective means to meet the investigation objective locally, since it is time-consuming, and involves high cost and security risk to carry out the operation overseas.
3. Bear in mind that it is often not legitimate for us to conduct investigations in foreign countries without proper authorizations from the authorities there. In commercial investigation, I normally exercise the precaution by asking for a formal letter of authorization / appointment from the management at Client's head office, engaging me to conduct investigations on its behalf into internal matters relating to its subsidiaries / subsidiary company in the foreign country. Although private investigation is controlled by the authorities in most countries, it is usually alright for companies to conduct their own internal investigations into matters or personnel employed in those branches or subsidiaries there.
4. Next, we need to work out the overall operation requirement and prioritize the gathering of the essential elements of information (EEI) and Other Information Required (OIR). This would help us to have very focus on the entire operation, and avoid spending resources on unnecessary collection. During our briefing sessions with Clients, we must try and obtain as much preliminary data, and furnish them to the operatives, who should be aware of the case objectives / requirements and be familiar with Target's appearance, whatever information on his habits, likes and dislikes and preferred mode of traveling, and any other information useful to the operation.
5. Make sure all travel documents are in order. Have sufficient foreign treaties and preferably get ready some Traveler checks. Credit cards should be sparly used because they run the risk give away the true identity of operatives. I remember a case involving some intelligence officers who went with me on an overseas training seminar when I was still in the Government service. It was their routine to carry dummy passport with fictitious identities but I saw them fumbled when they used their own credit cards to shop, and could not account for the discrepancies between information on their passport and their cards.
6. Travel light and have simple hand carried luggage. Additional clothing can be bought at the country of visit if necessary.
7. Make sure all the equipment are in order – mobile phone with international roaming, video camera, digital and conventional cameras. Common looking compact video recorder and camera that are normally used by tourists, with good zoom capability and low light specifications should be deployed. Make sure to include a touch light and a multi-purpose tool box. Secure a comprehensive road directory of the country, and read up on all information from the web site on the country, the people and the culture, and take note of the important local telephone numbers. I am not in favor of carrying along those sophisticated video or bugging devices because of the difficulty in getting them through the Customs point and having to explain that we are not foreign spies when they are exposed and checked by the Customs.
8. If it is possible, book the hotel in advance, preferably with the help of Client. In some operations, there may be a need to book two rooms at two or more different hotels, so that if operators are compromised they could switch easily to the other hotel avoiding the hassle of having to hunt for one at the last minute. They could also alternate their accommodation between the two hotels to enforce ops security. I recall that there was once I nearly ran into trouble in a capital city in one of the neighboring countries. My operative operating a video camera and doing clandestine recording on targets associated with an adultery investigation was unfortunately spotted by a uniformed senior police officer who was at the same hotel with his colleagues attending a security related seminar. Fortunately, from another discreet position, I sighted the officer gesticulating towards the direction where my operative was secretly filming, and excitedly calling instructions to the hotel security personnel. I immediately telephoned my operative and instructed him to leave the hotel as fast as he could and meet up at the 2nd hotel which we had already booked in advance. My other operatives and I immediately went back to our room, picked up our light luggage, did an express check-out and left the hotel. Later, making sure we were not followed, we rendezvoused with the exposed operative at the pre-arranged hotel.
9. Try to prepare in advance some fictitious business cards to be used as covers, and remove or hide all ID and documents that could reveal operative's true identities. Once, in an overseas assignment in Penang, I masqueraded as a Taiwanese business man and tried to lure a member of a black-market syndicate to sell some stolen electronic components to me. I prepared dummy name cards with a fictitious name and company registered in Taiwan, and was prepared to offer a cover story that I was a Hong-Konger migrated to Taiwan to account for my lack of fluency in Taiwanese accent.
10. In cases where we have a known target, where possible, arrive in the country ahead of him, and resignation surveillance on him from the point of his disembarkation, unless there is a operational need to cover him on the same flight, or during train or bus journeys.
11. Using the lead-time gained from early arrival at the country of operation, operators could make preparations to hire renovated vehicle, or make ground reconnaissance and familiarize them with the new surroundings. If operationally feasible, arrangements could have been made before-hand to hire a rental vehicle so those operators could move about conveniently.
12. Try to hire a reliable taxi driver in the country of operation, preferably the one who could speak the same language. The other option is to use the hotel's limousine service and hire the driver on full day basis. He could have co-opted into the surveillance team but care must be taken not to divulge the operational details to him. A suitable cover story could be used.
13. Negotiate the fees in advanced so as to avoid any controversies over the fares during and after the operations. Fees should be settled on a daily basis.
14. If there is a problem with communicating in foreign language, other than the taxi driver, operators could befriend those locals who could English. One of my favorite spots to do the talent scouting and recruitment is the local pubs and karaoke bars there. There, I would particularly look out for those locals who could sing English songs, and make friends with them. After some conversations, we could size up the language fluency and relativity of these locales and decide wherever they could be either consciously or unconsciously co-opted into the operations as an interpreters cum guides.
15. It is also possible to hire a local private eye agency and work with them on the operation; but care must be taken not to divulge too much operation details to them and beware of the likelihood they might compromise the operations by selling the information to Target. It is preferred that the local private agency be recommended by a reliable source.
16. Operations could take the form of discreet background checks, visits to locations frequented by Goals, undercover or surveillance operations.
17. Again, during the clandestine operations, the pre-prepared cover stories should be used; This is where the "dummy" name cards could come in handy. I would go down to the details of using passport details that are similar to the nationalities whose identity I am supposed to assum. In instances where I can not produce my passport for authentication, I would give my name cards and offer the excuse that my travel documents are temporarily held at my embassy of high commission for processing of traveling visa to other countries.
18. Operatives must be careful not to compromise operation security, especially at the early stage of their operations. They should try to avoid any encounter with the local law enforcement agencies, and if they are accosted they should stick to their cover story. One favorite story is to locate missing person, and another is to give the pretext of debt collection. Once, in Kuala Lumpur, my surveillance team was questioned by the locals during a prolonged period of stake out as to why we remained in a position for unusually long hours. We got away with the cover story that we were looking out and waiting for someone supposedly owed us huge amount of money and working in one of the companies along the relatively deserted road. The cover of pretending to be a free-lance journalist or an author sourcing for material to write a travel group could also be considered.
19. If the surveillance involves lodging Target in a hotel, operators should try to secure a room directly opposite Target room, or at least adjunct to it on the same floor. At the point when Target checks into the hotel, attempt must be made to find out which room he is being accommodated. Otherwise, operators could use the discreet approach of making a phone call to inquire from the hotel's operator. The other method is to try depositing a message, or dummy business card, in the name of Target at the reception. Normally, there is a cabinet / shelf at the reception counter where there are compartments with designated room numbers to hold messages and smaller items intended for the hotel guests. We just wait and wait around longer at the counter to find out the room number when the hotel staff place the message into those pigeon holes.
20. It is necessary to maintain a direct line of communication with Client, or his designated representative, so that critical information or urgent requirement, or say any late-minute change in the traveling schedule of objectives, could be transmitted in real time.
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