Special Organised Crime Unit investigators undergoing advanced training

 

  • To efficiently tackle financial crimes

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Investigators of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) are undergoing advanced training in the investigation of financial crimes to cater for the unit’s expanded mandate.

Head of SOCU, Sydney James made the disclosure during the recent Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing National Risk Assessment Seminar.

The National Risk Assessment completed in 2017 identified priority areas including training, capacity building and increased resources for the investigation of financial crimes, which according to James have posed challenges for the unit.

He said, in keeping with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the unit has implemented measures to bring it into compliance. One such initiative is the engagements with the United States, United Kingdom and Canada for information sharing on best practices.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were completed to ensure the integrity of the investigations of financial crimes. This is being perused by the Special Advisor to the unit before submission to the Attorney General’s Chambers followed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

SOCU started with six personnel and has expanded to 14, however, the Unit’s head said there is a recommendation for it to be further expanded to over 40 personnel by the end of 2019, another FATF requirement.

“This is to cater to the expanded role of catering for money laundering, terrorist financing investigations and also those forensic audits,” James noted.

The SOCU currently has 25 of those forensic audits to examine. Through inter-agency cooperation, James is optimistic that the SOCU will be enabled to function at the level of efficiency outlined by the FATF.

A recommendation was made for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be established between the unit and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ensure the easy access to pertinent information.

By: Stacy Carmichael.

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