25 July 2008
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Introduction
These resolutions have also called on member countries to increase the exchange of information in this field and encourage governments to adopt laws and regulations that would allow access, by police, to the financial records of criminal organizations and confiscation of proceeds gained by criminal activity (Resolutions AGN/55/RES/18, 1986; AGN/56/RES/11, 1987; AGN/60/RES/4, 1991; AGN/66/RES/15, 17 and 18, 1997). Acknowledging the value of the 1988 United Nations Convention against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the 1992 OAS Model Regulation concerning laundering offenses connected to illicit drug trafficking and related offenses, the Forty Recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force, the Convention on laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime (Council of Europe, 1990) and the European Council Directive on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering (Council of European Communities, 1991), the INTERPOL General Assembly meeting in New Delhi in 1997 called on member countries which have not yet done so to ratify the 1988 United Nations Convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and to urge their governments to implement the Convention in order to give their law enforcement institutions the powers it provides for (Resolution AGN/66/RES/15, 1997). Money laundering - INTERPOL’s definition A working definition was adopted by the INTERPOL General Assembly in 1995, which defines money laundering as: ‘any act or attempted act to conceal or disguise the identity of illegally obtained proceeds so that they appear to have originated from legitimate sources’. First International Conference on Illicit Cash Couriers held at INTERPOL 
Co-hosted by the World Customs Organization, the conference provided an opportunity for police and customs officials to discuss common challenges and to work towards concrete action. The issue of illicit cash couriers is an increasing global problem. High on the agenda was the link between cash couriers, money laundering and the funding of organized crime groups, in particular terrorism. Speakers emphasized the importance of strengthened co-operation between law enforcement authorities worldwide to tackle the growing threat, as well as the need to make better use of existing technology, such as expanding access within each member country to INTERPOL’s global police databases. It was recommended that countries should explore the use of technological devices to detect concealed currency and monetary instruments especially at strategic locations, such as borders, where the illegal transportation of cash is most likely to occur. The conference closed with a call for countries to actively participate in global illicit cash courier training conferences for police and customs personnel. Only with increased expertise can law enforcement bodies effectively combat illicit cash couriers and overcome the vulnerabilities currently exploited by criminal and terrorist organizations. Just as criminal organizations work together beyond national boundaries, so must the law enforcement community co-operate internationally, share critical intelligence and translate this knowledge and expertise into effective action on the ground. Working Group on Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing The second meeting of the INTERPOL Working Group on Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing was held at the INTERPOL General Secretariat in Lyon, France, on 3 June 2005 and was attended by representatives from the Organization of American States, Offshore Group of Banking Supervisors, United Nation’s Office of Drug Control, US Department of Treasury, Europol, International Monetary Fund, FIU.NET, EUROJUST and the UK’s National Criminal Intelligence Service. The meeting was preceded by a workshop concerning information-sharing between select NCBs and financial intelligence units (FIUs). Recommendations were made to: 1) identify ‘demonstration cases’ involving NCBs which are already receiving money laundering information from FIUs; 2) submit a resolution encouraging this type of co-operation to INTERPOL’s General Assembly session in Berlin in September 2005; and 3) seek formal recognition of the FIU/NCB relationships through incorporation into the Egmont Group’s ‘Principles of Information Exchange between Financial Intelligence Units’. Presentations were made regarding surveys which will be launched shortly relating to cash couriers and alternative remittance systems. A proposal to expand the subgroup, both in terms of membership and by soliciting views from other policy-setting organizations, was unanimously agreed to by members. Special progress was made in the training subgroup with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which will organize training courses on money laundering in co-operation with INTERPOL. Equipment provided by UNODC will be used during the training, which is planned to take place at the INTERPOL Sub-Regional Bureau in Nairobi. The members decided that the next Working Group Plenary meeting will be conducted in conjunction with the 3rd INTERPOL International Financial Crime Conference, which will be held in March 2006 in Madrid. International meetings and co-operation The INTERPOL General Secretariat works closely with other international organizations to foster international awareness of the importance of utilising financial investigative techniques against organized criminal activities. Most importantly, these liaisons and co-operation are aimed at supporting each international organization’s efforts in these areas and avoiding duplication. The following is a list of international organizations which have participated in mutual co-operation and assistance in the development of international programs related to the assets of criminal organizations:
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