The establishment of the SOMTC Working Group on Trafficking in Persons (WG on TIP) was agreed at the 7th SOMTC held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in June 2007. Since then, the WG has met at least once every year, to monitor the implementation of the TIP component of the SOMTC Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime. The WG also facilitates exchange of information and experiences on issues related to TIP among ASEAN Member States, and considers ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation to prevent and combat TIP, including through engagements with ASEAN Partners and other external parties. The WG also serves as a permanent mechanism for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP). The WG is chaired by the Philippines as the SOMTC VLS for the TIP priority area.

• ASEAN Heads of Specialist Anti-Trafficking Units



The ASEAN Heads of Specialist Anti-Trafficking Units (HSU) was established in April 2004. The HSU focuses on technical and operational activities on TIP and serves as a platform for an exchange of information and experiences, developing common standards and approaches in investigating TIP cases, cooperation on operational cases, particularly in relation to victim protection and rescue. Since February 2010, the HSU reports to the SOMTC WG on TIP. The HSU is chaired by the ASEAN Member State that holds the role of SOMTC Voluntary Lead Shepherd for the TIP priority area.

The establishment of the SOMTC Working Group on Counter-Terrorism (WG on CT) was approved at the 7th SOMTC held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in June 2007. The WG has been held annually, and as deemed necessary, to monitor the implementation of the terrorism component of the SOMTC Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime. The WG also facilitates exchange of information and experiences on issues related to terrorism, including violent extremism, among ASEAN Member States, and considers ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation on CT, including through engagements with ASEAN Partners and other external parties. The WG also serves as a permanent mechanism for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism (ACCT). The WG is chaired by Indonesia as the SOMTC VLS for the terrorism priority area.

The establishment of the SOMTC Working Group on Cybercrime (WG on CC) was approved at the 9th AMMTC, held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in September 2013. The WG has been held annually, and as deemed necessary, to monitor the implementation of the cybercrime component of the SOMTC Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime. The WG also facilitates exchange of information and experiences on issues related to recent trends in cybercrime among the ASEAN Member States, and considers ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation in combatting cybercrime, including through engagements with ASEAN Partners and other external parties. The WG is chaired by Singapore as the SOMTC VLS for the terrorism priority area.

The establishment of the SOMTC Working Group on Arms Smuggling (WG on AS) was approved at the 11th AMMTC, held in Manila, the Philippines, on 20 September 2017. The WG has been held annually to monitor the implementation of the arms smuggling component of the SOMTC Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime. The WG also facilitates exchange of information and experiences on issues related to arms smuggling among the ASEAN Member States, considers ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation in combatting arms smugglin, and facilitates engagements with ASEAN Partners and other external parties. The WG is chaired by Cambodia as the SOMTC VLS for the arms smuggling priority area.

Since the inclusion of illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber as a priority area under the AMMTC/SOMTC by the 10th AMMTC held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 29 September 2015, the establishment of the SOMTC Working Group on Illicit Trafficking of Wildlife and Timber (WG on ITWT) was approved by the 11th AMMTC, held in Manila, Philippines, on 20 September 2017. The WG has been held annually to monitor the implementation of the ITWT component of the SOMTC Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime. The WG also facilitates exchange of information and experiences on issues related to ITWT among the ASEAN Member States, considers ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation in addressing ITWT, including through engagements with ASEAN Partners and other external parties and coordinates with the AWG CITES. The WG is chaired by Thailand as the SOMTC VLS for the arms smuggling priority area.

Since the inclusion of people smuggling as a priority area under the AMMTC/SOMTC by the 10th AMMTC held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 29 September 2015, the SOMTC Working Group on People Smuggling (WG on PS) was established with the adoption of the Concept Note by the 18th AMMTC, held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 28 August 2024. The WG held its inaugural meeting in 2025. The WG serves as a platform to monitor the implementation of the people smuggling component of the SOMTC Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime. The WG also facilitates exchange of information and experiences on issues related to people smuggling among ASEAN Member States, and considers ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation against people smuggling, including through engagements with ASEAN partners and other external parties. The WG is chaired by Malaysia as the SOMTC VLS for the people smuggling priority area.

The SOMTC Working Group on Money Laundering (WG on ML) was established with the adoption of the Concept Note by the 19th AMMTC, held in Melaka, Malaysia, on 9 September 2025. The inaugural meeting of the WG will be held in 2026. The WG serves as a platform to monitor the implementation of the money laundering component of the SOMTC Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime. The WG also facilitates exchange of information and experiences on issues related to money laundering among the ASEAN Member States and considers ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation in addressing money laundering, including through engagements with ASEAN partners and other external parties. The WG is chaired by Malaysia as the SOMTC VLS for the money laundering priority area.

The SOMTC Working Group on General Transnational Crime Matters (WG on GTCM) was established with the adoption of its Terms of Reference (TOR) in 2022 and held its inaugural meeting in Indonesia in 2023. The WG serves as a platform to discuss emerging threats/new forms of transnational crime in the region, priority areas of cooperation under the purview of SOMTC that have yet to establish a working group, and other internal AMMTC/SOMTC business processes. The WG is chaired by the ASEAN Member State holding the SOMTC Chairmanship.

The ASEAN-Australia Counter-Terrorism (CT) Dialogue was established with the ad referendum adoption of the Concept Note by SOMTC in 2022, with the inaugural meeting held virtually in July 2022. The Dialogue is a platform to discuss recent trends and challenges in the area of terrorism, including violent extremism in Australia and ASEAN, as well as the ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation to implement the terrorism component of the SOMTC + Australia Work Plan on Cooperation to Combat Transnational Crime. The Dialogue is co-chaired by Indonesia, as the SOMTC VLS for the terrorism priority area, and Australia.

The ASEAN-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism (ARJWG on CT) was formerly titled the ARJWG on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), which had its inaugural meeting in 2009. With the adoption of the revised TOR of the ARJWG at the 16th SOMTC + Russia Consultation, held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 28 June 2024, the ARJWG on CT serves as a platform to discuss recent trends and challenges in the area of terrorism, including violent extremism, in Russia and ASEAN, as well as the ways and means to strengthen practical cooperation to implement the terrorism component of the SOMTC + Russia Work Plan on Cooperation to Combat Transnational Crime. The JWG is co-chaired by Indonesia, as the SOMTC VLS for the terrorism priority area, and Russia.