INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS ABROAD

 

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS ABROAD

When the truth crosses borders, you need an investigation without borders.

INDAGO International Investigations coordinates private and corporate investigations across borders through an Italian investigative structure and a network of qualified professionals in the countries concerned.

From Italy to Europe and to the most complex international destinations, we organize investigative operations with one clear objective:

to obtain verifiable, documented information collected in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Whether it concerns a family matter, a business partner, an untraceable debtor, or an international corporate verification, every assignment is assessed before becoming operational.

Discretion. Method. International coordination.

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS: WHAT WE CAN DO

A person moves abroad.
A business partner operates through foreign companies.
A debtor becomes untraceable.
A business partner raises concerns.
A spouse spends periods abroad and it becomes necessary to verify relevant facts and circumstances.

In these situations, it is not enough simply to “follow someone.”

An investigative project is required.

INDAGO conducts a preliminary assessment of:

• the countries and locations involved;
• the nature of the assignment;
• the client's legitimate interest;
• the objective of the investigation;
• the applicable legislation;
• the need to work with local professionals;
• the duration and relevant operational time windows;
• how the results will be documented;
• how the information collected will be used.

The investigation is then organized according to the specific circumstances, avoiding unnecessarily invasive or costly operations.

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS FOR PRIVATE CLIENTS

Infidelity, separation, tracing and international verifications

Family matters do not stop at the border.

A spouse may take a holiday abroad, travel for work, regularly stay outside Italy, or have personal relationships in another country.

Where there is a legitimate interest, an investigation may be conducted to verify relevant facts and conduct, always in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Possible assignments include:

• investigations into conduct and associations;
• checks during business trips and travel;
• verification of stays abroad;
• tracing individuals;
• research into information relevant to family matters;
• asset and property investigations, where legally permitted;
• collection of documentary and informational evidence;
• investigations coordinated across multiple countries.

We do not promise “conclusive proof.”

We provide a professional, documented investigative methodology proportionate to the objective of the assignment.

EVIDENCE OF INFIDELITY ABROAD: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

International matrimonial investigations require particular care.

Italian case law recognizes that an investigative report may be used in civil proceedings as atypical evidence, whose evidentiary value is assessed by the judge together with the other available evidence. The Italian Supreme Court has also recognized the relevance of photographic material in judicial assessment.

This means it is not correct to promise a client that photographs or videos collected abroad will automatically result in a finding of fault in a separation proceeding.

The professional objective should be different:

to collect information and documentation lawfully, relevantly, proportionately and in a verifiable manner.

For this reason, before an assignment begins, we assess:

• the legislation of the country where the activity will take place;
• the methods used to obtain information;
• compliance with privacy and private-life protections;
• any need for locally authorized professionals;
• the locations and methods in which investigative activity may legally be conducted;
• the preservation and integrity of the material collected;
• the purpose and legitimate interest underlying the investigation.

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS: ITALY + LOCAL PARTNERS

One central coordination point. Multiple countries. One investigative strategy.

The Italian license for private investigative activities is issued by the Prefect pursuant to Article 134 of the Italian Consolidated Law on Public Security (TULPS) and, according to guidance issued by the Prefectures, authorizes the operation of the investigative agency within Italy.

For an activity to be carried out abroad, therefore, it is not sufficient to consider the status of the Italian agency alone.

It is also necessary to verify the legislation of the country in which the activity will actually be carried out.

For this reason, when necessary, INDAGO can coordinate qualified local professionals and correspondents.

The advantage is twofold:

ITALIAN COORDINATION

The client has a single point of contact for:

• case analysis;
• planning;
• coordination;
• updates;
• collection of documentation;
• final reporting.

LOCAL EXPERTISE

The professional operating locally understands:

• local legislation;
• language;
• territory;
• operational practices;
• characteristics of the locations;
• limitations applicable to investigative activities.

In Spain, for example, private investigation is expressly regulated by Law 5/2014 on Private Security (Ley 5/2014 de Seguridad Privada), which governs private investigators and detective agencies and imposes specific requirements, including the principles of reasonableness, necessity, suitability and proportionality.

A COMPLEX CASE: IBIZA → MASPALOMAS → MYKONOS

15 days. 3 destinations. 1 investigative strategy.

An international trip involving Ibiza, Maspalomas and Mykonos presents a completely different level of complexity from an investigation conducted in a single city.

What changes?

Country → legislation → territory → logistics → mobility → operators → costs.

For an assignment of this type, planning must begin before departure.

IBIZA – BALEARIC ISLANDS

A destination characterized by international tourism, beach clubs, venues, resorts, villas and extensive mobility.

Planning must take into account:

• arrival and departure;
• accommodation;
• the subject's mobility;
• the most relevant time windows;
• possible transfers;
• activities in public or publicly accessible places;
• coordination with locally authorized professionals.

MASPALOMAS – GRAN CANARIA

A destination involving more complex movements and significant distances.

Logistical organization can become decisive, particularly when the subject uses taxis, rental cars or frequently changes locations.

MYKONOS – GREECE

The final destination may require specific planning based on the island's geography, seasonality, travel patterns and the presence of tourist facilities and venues with a high level of international traffic.

Three destinations do not simply mean three separate assignments.

They mean three operational scenarios that must be integrated into a single plan.

TWO OPERATORS DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN 24/7 SURVEILLANCE

One of the most common mistakes in international operations is confusing the duration of the trip with the actual investigative time required.

A 15-day investigation does not necessarily mean:

15 days × 24 hours × 2 operators.

It is often more effective to identify the investigative time windows that are genuinely relevant.

For example:

• arrivals and departures;
• transfers;
• afternoons;
• dinners;
• events;
• venues;
• evenings;
• returns to accommodation;
• days on which specific appointments are scheduled.

This makes it possible to concentrate resources where they can generate the greatest amount of useful information.

More hours do not necessarily mean more information.

Proper planning can instead mean:

fewer unnecessary hours + more strategic hours = a better results-to-investment ratio.

HOW MUCH DOES AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION COST?

There is no serious one-size-fits-all price.

The cost depends on:

• number of operators;
• countries involved;
• duration;
• actual hours of activity;
• need for local partners;
• flights;
• hotels;
• car rentals;
• taxis;
• transfers;
• possible access to facilities or events;
• complexity of the assignment;
• need for coverage during different time windows;
• preparation of the final dossier.

EXAMPLE SCENARIO

For a particularly complex operation lasting approximately 15 days, involving two operators and multiple international destinations, the overall budget may reach tens of thousands of euros, particularly where extensive coverage and significant logistical expenses are required.

An indicative range such as €28,000–€55,000 plus VAT, when used as an example of a possible scenario, must not be presented as a standard market rate or as an INDAGO quotation.

The actual quotation must be prepared based on the specific case.

The best way to save money?

Do not indiscriminately reduce the number of operators.

Reduce the hours that are not necessary.

WHAT THE FINAL DOSSIER MAY INCLUDE

At the end of the assignment, depending on the service agreed upon, organized documentation may be prepared including:

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

A professional chronological report covering the activities actually carried out and the results relevant to the assignment.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION

Material collected in accordance with the methods permitted by applicable law and relevant to the subject of the investigation.

VIDEO DOCUMENTATION

Where legally permitted and useful for the assignment, video documentation may supplement the other evidence collected.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

Relevant times, locations, movements and circumstances may be organized into a chronological reconstruction.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Where legally obtainable and relevant, additional material may be collected to assist in reconstructing the facts.

Important: no investigative material can be guaranteed to be automatically “decisive” for a judge. The assessment of its relevance and evidentiary value rests with the judicial authority.

WHAT WE DO NOT DO

Professional investigative work is also measured by the limits it respects.

We do not offer:

• hacking;
• unauthorized access to smartphones or computers;
• unlawful acquisition of passwords;
• spyware;
• unauthorized interception of communications;
• access to private messages without legal authorization;
• intrusion into homes or private areas;
• activities disproportionate to the objective;
• promises of “guaranteed evidence.”

Spanish legislation, for example, expressly provides that private investigations must respect rights relating to honor, privacy, image, the secrecy of communications and data protection, as well as the principles of reasonableness, necessity, suitability and proportionality.

An effective investigation is not the one that invades the most. It is the one that documents most effectively what can legitimately be established.

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS FOR BUSINESSES

Cross-border activities do not concern private matters alone.

INDAGO can coordinate international investigative activities involving:

DUE DILIGENCE

Checks on individuals, companies, business partners and counterparties, within the limits of information that can be lawfully obtained.

FRAUD AND IRREGULARITIES

Collection of information useful for reconstructing potentially fraudulent or anomalous situations.

PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS

Preliminary checks and intelligence-gathering activities in international contexts.

TRACING INDIVIDUALS

Locating individuals, untraceable persons or debtors, using methods permitted by law.

ASSETS AND PROPERTY ABROAD

Information gathering concerning assets and economic interests, where the necessary legal grounds exist and legally accessible sources are available.

TRAVEL SECURITY

Advance risk assessment and intelligence support for company personnel traveling abroad.

MILAN • ROME • TURIN • ITALY • ABROAD

Italian coordination for investigations that cross borders.

INDAGO Investigations operates in the field of private and corporate investigations with an international perspective, coordinating assignments in Italy and abroad through a network of professionals and correspondents selected according to the country and the nature of the assignment.

We do not sell surveillance.

We provide method, coordination and the ability to transform fragmented information into a documented reconstruction of the facts.

DO YOU HAVE A CASE ABROAD?

You do not need to share everything publicly.

For an initial assessment, the following information is sufficient:

1. Country or countries involved
2. Objective of the investigation
3. Approximate timeframe
4. Expected duration
5. Whether it is a private or corporate assignment
6. Any information already available

Based on these elements, it is possible to assess:

feasibility → methodology → operators required → timing → logistics → indicative budget.

LET'S DISCUSS YOUR CASE CONFIDENTIALLY

INDAGO INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS

When the truth lies across borders, strategy must come first.

Request a confidential assessment of your case.