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Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing

Over 20 years of articles and reference material

A page dedicated to global, regional, UK and US anti-money laundering developments and initiatives.

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FinCEN announces a targeted, data-driven operation on 100+ U.S. MSBs along the southwest border, to tackle potential ML and enforce stricter AML compliance

December 22, 2025

The multi-tiered, data-driven operation using advanced analytics of over one million banking records to identify compliance failures among Southwest border MSBs and address risks of illicit finance. It has already issued investigation notices, IRS examination referrals and numerous compliance outreach letters, signalling that non-compliance with Bank Secrecy Act AML/CFT obligations will trigger civil penalties, enforcement actions and potential criminal referrals…

UNODC-NAUSS’s brief on ‘The Evolution of the Synthetic Drug Market in the Arab Countries’ reveals how crackdowns are disrupting the captagon trade and driving a shift to other new synthetics

December 22, 2025

The joint UNODC and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS) research examines recent changes in synthetic drug markets across Arab countries, noting that intensified interdictions and dismantling of large clandestine production sites have reduced captagon flows and strengthened intelligence cooperation. It highlights initial disruptions in longstanding market patterns and warns of evolving risks—particularly a potential pivot toward methamphetamine and other synthetics—as the landscape adapts to enforcement and supply pressures…

FATF/APG’s Mutual Evaluation Report 2025 finds that, despite basic AML/CFT structures, Maldives’ regime remains weak, with poor oversight, enforcement gaps, and opaque ownership fueling FC risks

December 22, 2025

Key gaps include the absence of a coherent national AML/CFT strategy, weak risk‑based supervision of financial and non‑financial sectors, limited enforcement and sanctions, insufficient measures to counter terrorist financing, and poor transparency around legal persons and beneficial ownership. The report highlights the need for substantial reforms to strengthen national strategy, coordination, supervision, enforcement, and risk-based controls to ensure the Maldives can effectively prevent, detect…

AMLA’s Chair completes the first EU-wide Road Show, deepening partnerships with national authorities, supervisors and FIUs to advance a more coordinated and effective EU AML/CFT framework

December 22, 2025

The purpose was to foster open dialogue on the new EU AML/CFT framework, share perspectives on national risk landscapes and supervisory expectations, and gather practical insights into trends and challenges in combating money laundering and terrorist financing. These discussions aim to strengthen cooperation, build mutual understanding, and inform AMLA’s future work as it supports the development of a more effective and coordinated AML/CFT system across Europe…

INTERPOL’s Operation Sentinel arrests 574 cybercriminals and recovers $3M across 19 African countries, disrupting business email compromise, ransomware, and digital extortion networks

December 19, 2025

Authorities dismantled key criminal infrastructure, including over 6,000 malicious links and six ransomware variants, preventing losses exceeding USD 21 million. Notable successes include stopping a USD 7.9 million BEC transfer in Senegal, recovering 30 terabytes of ransomware-encrypted data in Ghana, dismantling online fraud networks defrauding over 200 victims, shutting down 43 malicious domains and 4,300 social media accounts in Benin, and taking down phishing infrastructure in Cameroon…

FCA introduces changes from March 2026, to give banks and payment providers with robust fraud controls greater flexibility to set their own contactless payment limits, replacing the current fixed cap

December 19, 2025

This move responds to strong consumer demand, with contactless payments accounting for about 95 % of eligible in‑store card transactions in 2024, while maintaining existing fraud protections. Firms will be incentivised to strengthen fraud controls, and consumers may also have the option to set personal limits or disable contactless payments entirely, ensuring both convenience and security in line with evolving technology and inflation pressures…

AUSTRAC updates its regulatory expectations ahead of the March 2026 AML/CTF reforms, warning businesses to maintain strong systems to manage ML/TF/PF risks or face strict penalties

December 18, 2025

Entities must maintain programs focused on risk identification and mitigation, including suspicious matter reporting and due diligence. If businesses cannot fully meet new obligations by March 2026, they must prepare documented implementation plans outlining how they will manage ML/TF risks during the transition, including timelines, risk gaps and mitigation measures. Implementation plans should be endorsed by senior management and boards, ensuring corporate governance accountability for financial crime controls…

Europol, in its latest Podcast ‘The Future of Europol’, unveils plans to expand capabilities, harness technology, and boost global cooperation to stay ahead of evolving serious and organised crime

December 18, 2025

In this Season 3 finale, Europol’s executive leadership outlines the strategic direction of the agency, emphasising the need to adapt its structures, analytical tools and partnerships to keep pace with the changing “DNA” of serious and organised crime. They highlight plans to double capabilities, enhance international reach and leverage innovation as crime becomes increasingly technology-enabled, ensuring Europol remains effective in supporting member states against future threats…

EBA, ECB and national supervisors sign an MoU to strengthen cooperation and information sharing in support of non-bank payment service providers’ access to central bank payment systems 

December 18, 2025

The new MoU establishes the EU’s first unified framework for real-time information sharing on non-bank PSPs, allowing supervisors and central banks to jointly monitor safeguarding breaches, governance issues and operational disruptions – the agreement aims to curb regulatory arbitrage and cross-border fraud, closing long-standing oversight gaps…

Canada Border Services Agency announces that a major auto theft investigation has led to organised-crime and money-laundering charges against individuals and companies allegedly exporting stolen vehicles

December 17, 2025

In December 2025, the CBSA and partner agencies unveiled results from a long-running investigation into transnational auto theft rings, alleging that suspects facilitated export of stolen vehicles and laundered proceeds through complex schemes. The operation includes criminal and money-laundering charges against multiple individuals and entities, highlighting cross-border enforcement cooperation to disrupt organized crime and financial crime linked to the auto theft supply chain.

OECD’s Harmful Tax Practices – 2024 Peer Review Reports on the Exchange of Information on Tax Rulings shows that most jurisdictions are effectively implementing the BEPS Action 5 transparency standard by exchanging tax-ruling information, though some still need to improve legal frameworks and timeliness

December 17, 2025

The report, approved by the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on 2 December 2025, assesses how participating jurisdictions comply with the minimum standard under BEPS Action 5 for spontaneous exchange of information on tax rulings, a key tool in tackling base erosion and profit shifting. It finds broad legal and operational capacity for exchanging such information, with peer reviews highlighting progress and identifying a small number of recommendations to strengthen legal bases, data completeness and timely transmission of information…

Europol coordinates high-impact operations against transatlantic cocaine supply networks, seizing 1.6 tonnes of cocaine, €1.5M+ in assets, and dismantling supply chains from South America to Europe

December 17, 2025

Actions included the arrest of a Dutch-led network linked to Colombian traffickers, the disruption of a Brazilian maritime operation using modified fishing vessels via West Africa, and the interception of a Greek at-sea transfer network, resulting in dozens of arrests, seizure of 1.6 tonnes of cocaine, and over €1.5 million in assets. By providing intelligence, analytical support, and operational coordination, Europol helped disrupt the full criminal chain from organisers and logistics managers to European receivers, demonstrating the power of sustained international cooperation against organised cocaine trafficking…

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