COPOLAD III seeks to promote financial and asset intelligence both in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe, through support and exchange between counterpart administrations. The objective is that investigations ensure the rapid intervention and recovery of assets illicitly acquired by drug trafficking and return them to society.
Within the framework of this objective, COPOLAD III has financed the development of a Guide on Parallel Financial Investigations, together with the Latin American Financial Action Task Force (GAFILAT). The objective is to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement and investigative authorities in the development of these investigations that focus simultaneously on the crime and charges related to money laundering.
The publication is aimed at GAFILAT member countries and contributes to reinforce the FATF recommendations on financial and asset investigations. This initiative also seeks to raise awareness among decision makers of the importance of implementing and contributing to the development of this type of investigation, in order to obtain the result of taking the proceeds of crime away from criminals.
Training Course
On the other hand, COPOLAD will carry out in the first quarter of the year and online a training course on “Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking: Analysis in Emerging Risk Areas” in collaboration with the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). The training aims to implement knowledge in the specific field of the fight against money laundering and its threats to the legal economy, through the study of innovative methodologies, case studies and comparing the different existing regulations both in the Caribbean and at European level. Representatives of police and financial units and international institutions from Europe, the USA, Latin America and the Caribbean will be present as trainers.
In addition, emphasis will be placed on the exchange of knowledge on the investigation and analysis of money laundering threats associated with virtual assets, something that represents a current threat in modern society that must be addressed with the necessary expertise.
CFATF and GAFILAT, strategic partners of COPOLAD, are two of the regional groups of the FATF/FATF Financial Action Task Force. These intergovernmental organizations have agreed to implement common measures against money laundering, terrorist financing and arms proliferation.
This work, with a regional focus, will be complemented by technical assistance to institutions in Colombia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru in the areas of asset investigations, asset recovery and administration, and social and community use of assets confiscated from drug traffickers.
