New Delhi, Sep 7 : A total of 19 criminals/fugitives have been brought back to India so far this year, while figures stood at 27 and 18 in 2022 and 2021, respectively, informed Union minister Jitendra Singh after inaugurating the first International Day of Police Cooperation and the Investiture Ceremony at the CBI headquarters here on Thursday. In the last approximately four years, over $1.8 billion worth of assets have been recovered from economic offenders and fugitives since the introduction of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. Additionally, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has aided in attaching assets worth more than $12 billion belonging to offenders since 2014, Singh informed. On the occasion, the minister also presented police medals to 35 CBI officers for distinguished and meritorious service. Singh said there has been a quantum jump in the extradition of criminals and fugitives in recent years, especially after India hosted the 90th Interpol General Assembly in Delhi in October last year, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There is forward movement in areas like action-oriented high-level principles on three priority areas, namely, law enforcement cooperation through information sharing, strengthening asset recovery mechanisms, and enhancing the integrity and effectiveness of anti-corruption authorities, he said. CBI Director Praveen Sood, while congratulating the medal winners, said that the event holds significant importance as it is being organised on the first-ever International Day for Police Cooperation. Sood also pointed out that CBI has kept pace with the rapidly-evolving challenges of crime, changes in technologies, and global policing practices. Singh presented the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service to G. Satyanarayana, ASI, ACB, Hyderabad (now retired), and Police Medal for Meritorious Service to 34 officers/officials. /IANS