Canada supporting workshop to help combat money laundering

Canada, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Regional Security System Asset Recovery Unit (RSS ARU), the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) and the Government of Barbados, is supporting the delivery of a national workshop to combat trade-based money laundering (TBML). 

The five-day training aims to raise awareness of the public security threats stemming from TBML, and strengthen the capacities of local law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities to detect, investigate, and prosecute money laundering through trade more effectively. Twenty-four law enforcement and criminal justice officials are participating in the workshop which commenced on November 21. 

The workshop in Barbados is part of the Combatting Trade-Based Money Laundering and Cash Smuggling in Latin America and the Caribbean Project, a CAD$2.7 million Canada-funded initiative implemented by the UNODC Global Programme against Money Laundering. The project, launched in 2018, reaches 13 beneficiary countries in the Caribbean and Central America, including Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. 

Political counsellor at the High Commission of Canada in Barbados, Miriam van Nie noted: “Canada is proud to support the delivery of this critical workshop in collaboration with UNODC, RSS ARU, CARICOM IMPACS, and the Government of Barbados. We appreciate the tangible results achieved in pursuit of our shared goal – reducing transnational organized crime, including TBML. We also commend workshop participants and implementing partners for their ongoing efforts to make our hemisphere safer for all.” 

The five-year project is expected to increase the capacity of customs officials and law enforcement agencies to prevent, detect, investigate and contribute to the prosecution of customs/revenue fraud, trade-based money laundering, and money-laundering via free-trade zones across the Caribbean and Latin America. The initiative further reflects a mutual commitment by partners – Canada, Barbados, the Regional Security System, CARICOM IMPACS, and UNODC – to enhance security and cooperation throughout in the region. (PR)