Financial Flows linked to the illicit production and trafficking of Afghan opiates

Transcription

1 Financial Flows linked to the illicit production and trafficking of Afghan opiates

2 Item I Update on current national and regional situations and trends in illicit financial flows A summary of challenges since 2011

3 Summary of key findings from the 2009 Tashkent questionnaire

4 Few reported transactions to/from Afghan opiates Low level of intelligence regarding individuals linked to Afghan illicit drug trade Wide FIU to FIU cooperation but limited internal cooperation Customs declaration system widely in place. However, no seizures of cash with Afghanistan connections recorded Very limited information gathered regarding IVTS sector Methods/tools to detect financial transactions in place. Yet, nothing specific to opiates transactions Indicators to profile suspicious transactions in place ( but not to detect specifically afghan drug transactions) Disclosure/declaration system in place but declarations can not be directly linked to cash seizures related to Afghanistan Few typology work conducted on Afghan opiates financial flows

5 National and regional situations and trends as identified in Abu Dhabi (2011) Most countries are transit countries to drug trafficking from Afghanistan; Special working groups established to combat drug trafficking; All countries have an operational Financial Intelligence Units. BUT lack of experience/knowledge in dealing with complex transactions; Efforts are being made to freeze funds deriving from drug trafficking

6 Challenges identified by Member States (2011) Low level of awareness on the issue of money-laundering Misuse of Hawala and Hundi; Terrorist threats in the region / drug money used for terrorist purposes; Porous borders and cross-border movement of cash; Cash-based economies; Drug money being invested in real estate / construction business; Difficulties in investigating the money laundering and financing of terrorism cases and tracing financial flows;

7 Challenges identified by Member States (2011) (2) Lack of cooperation between law enforcement agencies at the national and regional level. Lack of cooperation in transnational investigations (between foreign law enforcement agencies); Timely sharing of information (between FIUs); Lack of specialized training (to detect financial flows, to conduct financial investigations); The use of financial intermediaries between origin and destination countries to penetrate financial systems

8 What are the challenges in 2013? Have they been addressed since 2011?

9 Item II Review of the Abu Dhabi Technical Working Group on financial Flows outcomes and recommendations since 2011

10 2011 Abu Dhabi Recommendations 14 recommendations 3 Sets these addressed to the Member States, to UNODC and the joint recommendations 2012 Vienna Declaration (Chapter II) 6 recommendations In line with the expert recommendations from Abu Dhabi Political commitment

11 Recommendations directed to the UNODC 7. Creation of a Checklist for countries in the region, to assess current level of needs; 8. Assist countries in the region in the development of a network of contacts between FIUs, law enforcement, judiciary, and other competent authorities; 9. Provide technical assistance to countries most affected by Afghan opiates illicit financial flows; 12. Appointment of a UNODC Focal Point for all financial flows related to Afghan opiates

12 Recommendations aimed at Member States 3. Maximize the use of existing legislative tools and frameworks in relation to asset identification and recovery; 4. Create a website that compiles information on procedure for Mutual Legal Assistance or related processes; 5. Institutional cooperation at national level, in particular between counternarcotics law enforcement agencies and units that work with AML efforts; 6. Mainstream financial investigations related to counternarcotics operations; 10. Designation of a national focal point to be responsible and accountable for the work conducted on the financial flows; 14. Provide extra-budgetary resources.

13 Joint Recommendations 11. Development of a joint training curriculum to be delivered to all interested Paris Pact Partners upon request and within available resources; 13. Creation of a database of sanitized case studies and typologies (in relation to illicit financial flows) to exchange and improve knowledge and experience between Paris Pact Partners.

14 Progress made by UNODC : HQ and Field Offices AML / CFT Mentoring for Central Asian countries ( ) Regular regional FIU to FIU meetings Numerous AML/CFT training / seminars / workshops, including on international cooperation, prevention and combating of cross-border cash smuggling, computer based training on Anti-Money Laundering

15 Updates from Member States Inter-agency cooperation? Detecting and tracing financial flows? Typologies research?