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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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India’s Enforcement Directorate files a prosecution complaint under AML laws against 5 accused over a ₹104 crore cyber-fraud and ML racket involving fake investment schemes and digital extortion 

December 10, 2025

ED’s complaint names Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor, Kaashif Makbul Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai, Om Rajendra Pandya and Mitesh Gokulbhai Thakkar for defrauding victims nationwide through sophisticated cyberfraud schemes — including “digital arrest” scams, bogus forex/stock trading platforms and impersonation of law enforcement and judicial authorities — and laundering the proceeds through layered bank accounts and cryptocurrency. The case, based on an investigation initiated by the Surat Police’s Special Operations Group…

FATF-APG’s 2025 Mutual Evaluation Report on Malaysia commends its strengthened AML/CFT framework, while noting gaps in prosecutions, international cooperation, and preventive measures

December 10, 2025

The report acknowledges that Malaysia has significantly bolstered its anti-money-laundering, counter-terrorist-financing and counter-proliferation financing measures, with a comprehensive legal framework, enhanced supervision across financial and non-financial sectors, and robust domestic coordination mechanisms. However, it also highlights persistent challenges: translating investigations into prosecutions and convictions, strengthening international cooperation, especially mutual legal assistance for serious crime cases…

FCA launches new Firm Checker tool to help consumers and businesses to verify whether a financial services firm or individual is authorised and regulated and protect against fraud, scams, and other FC

December 10, 2025

The tool allows consumers to quickly confirm a firm’s regulatory status, see any restrictions or warnings, and identify clone-firm risks, strengthening early detection of scams and unauthorised activity. It forms part of the FCA’s wider strategy to reduce harm from financial crime by improving transparency, empowering consumers, and disrupting criminals’ ability to operate in the UK market…

EU officially launches the Brussels Memorandum on good practices for oversight and accountability mechanisms in counterterrorism, establishing a transregional network to facilitate collaboration

December 10, 2025

A key step in the operationalization of the good practices, the meeting highlighted their significance in promoting efforts in oversight and accountability in counterterrorism and served as a coordination platform to discuss their implementation within various national and regional contexts.  The meeting also established a Transregional Network to foster collaboration among oversight and accountability experts and practitioners…

Europol-backed raids in Germany arrested 3 key Balkan cartel suspects and seized around €5M in criminal assets, involving about 500 officers

December 10, 2025

The coordinated operation targeted several High Value Targets (HVTs) residing in Germany, who are believed to be key figures within the Balkan Cartel. The investigation revealed that this criminal cell was responsible for multi-tonne cocaine shipments originating from Colombia and utilising various methods to smuggle drugs into Europe. The network also engaged in money laundering through companies and real…

FCA highlights stablecoin payments as a 2026 priority, calling for strong consumer protections and robust regulation to ensure their safe and responsible integration into the UK financial system

December 10, 2025

The FCA has set stablecoin payments as a priority for 2026, supporting UK-issued stablecoins to enable faster, more convenient payments and allowing firms to experiment safely through its regulatory sandbox. Its one-year growth update highlights that most of its nearly 50 growth commitments have been delivered, including reforms to scale firms, boost home ownership, enhance capital markets, accelerate digital innovation (e.g., AI sandbox), reduce regulatory burdens, support start-ups and high-growth firms, and strengthen international trade and investment…

Hong Kong Govt consults on implementing the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and updated CRS, to strengthen crypto-asset tax reporting and due diligence – proposals by 6 Feb 2026 

December 9, 2025

The consultation paper proposes amendments to Hong Kong’s Inland Revenue Ordinance to introduce mandatory reporting, record-keeping requirements, enhanced penalties and registration obligations for financial institutions in line with the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) and updated Common Reporting Standard (CRS), reflecting the rapid growth of digital asset markets. The Government plans to complete these legislative changes in the coming year, with automatic exchange of crypto-asset tax information expected from 2028 and implementation of the amended CRS from 2029, while inviting public feedback on the proposals by February 6, 2026…

OECD’s 2025 Policy Brief on Illicit Gold Flows warns that bulk maritime shipments of unrefined gold face high risks of ML and illegal trade due to weak tracking, mis-invoicing, and blending with other metals

December 9, 2025

The 2025 OECD report finds that gold concentrates — often exported as raw ore or “precious-metals concentrate” under HS code 261690 — present attractive opportunities for trade-based money laundering and gold laundering because they are seldom tracked, easily mis-declared, and transported under weak customs surveillance across maritime routes. It concludes that existing supply-chain and regulatory frameworks are insufficient: without stronger due diligence, better transparency, improved tracking and tighter customs oversight, this trade will continue facilitating crime-funded laundering, illicit capital flows and corruption tied to gold extraction and trade…

Europol’s ‘The Unmanned Future’ report reveals how robotics and unmanned systems are transforming law enforcement and the fight against crime, while raising technical, regulatory, and trust challenges

December 8, 2025

The report warns that criminals and terrorists are increasingly exploiting unmanned systems, transforming crime into remote, technology-driven operations. Looking ahead, law enforcement will need new strategies, AI-enabled capabilities, regulatory frameworks, and partnerships with industry and academia to effectively monitor, counter, and integrate unmanned systems into policing, ensuring preparedness for emerging technological threats…

NCA UK FIU’s SARs in Action Dec 25 reveals a 300% surge in CSAM-related SARs, the new SARs Digital Service, crackdowns on live-streamed abuse and sextortion and over £1.9M recovered via DAML SARs

December 5, 2025

The issue details several case studies, including SARs that uncovered mule-account networks linked to large-scale fraud, enabled rapid restraint of assets in a cross-border money-laundering case, and provided vital intelligence on organised drug-trafficking groups using cash-intensive businesses and crypto exchanges to disguise proceeds. It also shares practical guidance on improving SAR submissions — such as clearer narratives, better risk indicators and more precise transaction information…

FinCEN’s 2025 Financial Trend Analysis on Ransomware shows that between 2022–24, FIs reported 4,194 ransomware incidents in 7,395 BSA filings, with total payments over $2.1B, peaking in 2023 at $1.1B

December 4, 2025

The analysis highlights a sustained rise in high-impact ransomware incidents, with attackers increasingly using techniques such as double extortion, pig-butchering–linked access, and rapid laundering of proceeds through mixers, chain-hopping and cross-chain bridges. It also underscores the critical role of BSA reporting in identifying ransomware wallets and disruption opportunities, urging financial institutions to strengthen red-flag detection, timely SAR filings and collaboration with law enforcement…

EU Commission presents new EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan against drug trafficking to protect citizens, disrupt criminal networks and strengthen cross-border enforcement against organised crime

December 4, 2025

The new strategy outlines a comprehensive, multi-year framework combining prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation and public health measures designed to disrupt organised drug trafficking, reduce drug-related harms and support demand-reduction efforts. It also sets out enhanced coordination across EU member states to close loopholes in cross-border trafficking, strengthen judicial and border-control cooperation, and deploy data-driven tools to monitor and respond to emerging drug threats…

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