The Anti-Money Laundering Permanent Committee (AMLPC) of Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) completed the second phase of the Technical Assistance Program, which consisted of 12 specialized training workshops on financial investigation of ML crimes, in which a total of 106 participants attended. The participants represented a number of concerned authorities, namely: Ministry of Interior (General Directorate of Public Security and General Directorate of Narcotics Control); Ministry of Commerce; Public Prosecution; Presidency of State Security (General Directorate of Financial Intelligence); Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority; Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority; Capital Market Authority; Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Permanent Committee for Legal Assistance Requests
The second phase of the program included 3 training groups, in which 4 workshops on financial investigation and prosecution were held for each group. Furthermore, the workshops covered financial investigations of money laundering crimes related to trade, smuggling, commercial concealment and tax evasion.
Financial investigations of money laundering crimes related to tax evasion was the final workshop held in the second phase from December 18 to 22, 2022 at the Saudi Central Bank’s Head Office. The workshop was attended by 38 specialists from a number of concerned authorities. It aimed at assisting participants in enhancing and developing their capabilities and acquiring the skills necessary to practice financial investigation, prosecution and asset recovery in money laundering crimes. Also, the workshop focused on enhancing capabilities to promote international cooperation through formal legal assistance requests. On this occasion, the Vice Chairman of the AMPLC, Adel Al-Qulish, expressed deep appreciation to the participants for their commitment to and active participation in the program, hoping that the program would achieve the objectives for which it was developed. Moreover, Al-Qulish asserted that the continuation of such training programs will contribute to the development of work processes of concerned authorities and improve competencies of their staff, affirming the Kingdom’s commitment to implementing relevant international standards and requirements.
Additionally, Al-Qulish noted that holding such workshops is part of the framework of implementing AML/CFT National Strategic Objectives and Action Plan approved by His Majesty the King, which includes enhancing training programs held for the concerned authorities through holding workshops in the field of developing investigation and prosecution methods in money laundering cases.
For more information on the AMLPC, please visit www.aml.gov.sa.
Source: IBP