• Wednesday, October 09,2024

Virtual Training Workshop for International Security Alliance Countries on Combating Money Laundering and Underground Banking

The International Security Alliance Secretariat organized a virtual training workshop in cooperation with the competent authorities in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on "Combating Money Laundering and Underground Banking and Combating Trafficking in Contraband in Seaports", as part of ongoing training workshops for the Alliance countries, in which expertise and best practices applied in police and security work are exchanged.

The workshop addressed topics on Underground Banking and their definition, which included the visions and experiences of the Dutch task force on secret banking services, the origins of secret banking networks, their operations and strategies for disrupting them, and the definition of practical and methodological tools to address this urgent issue.

The workshop also covered understanding criminal secret banking operations, an overview of secret banks, definition, characteristics and case studies that highlight the modus operandi of organized crime groups, means, tools and strategies for disrupting current and future forms of illegal banking, challenges facing the fight against illegal banks, opportunities for enhancing international cooperation and exchange of expertise and information, reviewing examples where international cooperation was of utmost importance, adopting best practices for maintaining and improving information exchange networks, and identifying common challenges faced by member states of the International Security Alliance, with a look at solutions, strategies and opportunities available to overcome these challenges.

The scientific material was presented by Mrs. K.(Kitty) van de Brand, public Prosecutor at the National Public Prosecutors Office and project leader of the Task Force Underground Banking and Mr. R.P. (Robin) de Jager, Super Intendent at the National Investigations Special operations of The Netherlands Police, head of the financial Economic Crime Department and project leader of the Task Force Underground Banking.