Taken from Sussex Police website Interpol Policy
3 Evidence and International Letters of Request (ILOR)
3.1 Many foreign countries, particularly in mainland Europe, use the Napoleonic code of justice that restricts police and law enforcement agencies powers of investigation. In general terms, police carry out the initial steps in an investigation and then hand the case over to an examining magistrate or prosecutor.
3.2 The examining magistrate then takes charge of the investigation and directs police as to how they are to conduct it on their behalf. The examining magistrate also has powers to:
(1) Summons accused / suspected persons and witnesses to appear before him for interview.
(2) Order the: (a) Search of premises, (b) Seizure of Evidence, (c) Examine bank accounts.
3.3 An ILOR, also known as a Commission Rogatoire (Com. Rog.), is a written request given by a judicial authority to carry out a procedural action necessary in criminal proceedings.
3.4 An ILOR is a judicial document and as such cannot be issued by Police. It is sent through official channels, i.e. from one Ministry of Justice to another.The UK Ministry of Justice has been in operation since 2007
www.justice.gov.uk The official channel for receipt and transmission of ILORs is the UK Central Authority for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, which is located in the Judicial Co-operation Unit at the Home Office.
3.5 Although an ILOR is issued for the purpose of gathering evidence to present at a criminal trial, it can be issued whilst the trial is in progress if the request is for supplementary information necessary for the continuation of the proceedings.
3.6 ILOR's are obtained through the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and their advice should be sought in the first instance when requesting evidence from persons abroad. 3.7 For complete advice in relation to Obtaining assistance overseas, please read the Mutual Legal Assistance Guidelines, found at
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-policing/mutual-legal-assistance/Does that clarify things for you, Silky Whiskers?