Key facts
Crime knows no borders. For this reason, prosecution authorities use international mutual legal assistance to obtain evidence located abroad. This assistance is important for Switzerland’s reputation, particularly in view of its significance as a financial centre. Switzerland is highly solicited by other countries for assistance in economic matters, and is therefore more likely to provide mutual assistance than to request it. In recent years, it has received more than 2,300 requests per year on average. However, it is not possible to say precisely how many requests Switzerland has received, as direct requests received by the cantons are not recorded in the statistics.