Money Laundering: Related websites and documents

Drugs and Democracy

November 2005

Useful links on money laundering and drugs

The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF)
The FATF was established by the G7 Summit in Paris in 1989 to examine measures to combat money laundering. FATF issues recommendations designed to provide a comprehensive blueprint for action against money laundering covering the criminal justice system and law enforcement; the financial system and its regulation; and international co-operation. FATF is an inter-governmental body which develops and promotes policies, both nationally and internationally, to combat money laundering. As a "policy making body" therefore, its primary goal is to generate the political will necessary for bringing about national legislative and regulatory reforms in this area. FATF issues annual reports.
Language: English and French
Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF)
The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) is an organisation of states of the Caribbean basin which have agreed to implement common counter-measures to address the problem of criminal money laundering. It was established as the result of meetings convened in Aruba in May 1990 and Jamaica in November 1992. CFATF poduces annual reports.
Language: English and Spanish
UNODC: Global Programme against Money Laundering (GPML)
GPML is part of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention,
and has some good research reports on line.
Language: English

In 1996, several leading international organizations endorsed the idea of producing a common Internet website through which information could be shared for the benefit of all national and international anti-money laundering agencies. To this end, during 1997 and 1998 GPML completed the initial stages of development of the International Money Laundering Information Network (IMoLIN):

International Money Laundering Information Network (IMoLIN)
An Internet-based network assisting governments, organizations and individuals in the fight
against money laundering. IMoLIN has been developed with the cooperation of the world's leading anti-money laundering organizations. Included herein is a database on legislation and regulation throughout the world (AMLID), an electronic library, and a calendar of events in the anti-money laundering field. Certain aspects of IMoLIN are secured and therefore not available for public use.
In the research section there are several reports, among others:
Financial Havens, Banking Secrecy and Money Laundering a study prepared on behalf of the United Nations under the auspices of the Global Programme against Money Laundering, Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention; Vienna, Austria. Authored by Jack A. Blum, Michael Levi, R. Thomas Naylor and Phil Williams; Final report printed December 1998.
Language: English, French and Spanish
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN)
The US Treasury Department Bureau to support and strengthen domestic and international anti-money laundering efforts and to foster interagency and global cooperation. The Treasury Department's US Customs Service has a page on enforcement, with an interesting report on the Black Market Peso Exchange.
Language: English
CICAD: Money Laundering Control
Website on money laundering of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of Americas States. Detailed information on legislation in several countries and regional action plans.
English and
Spanish
Money Laundering Alert
Commercial site, well informed on money laundering: “Since 1989, Money Laundering Alert has been the authoritative source for information on money laundering in the United States and around the world. Each month, MLA reports the latest news, developments and guidance in the money laundering field worldwide, including legislative, regulatory and enforcement action, money laundering schemes, money laundering control initiatives, guidance on money laundering compliance for financial institutions and professionals.” Good page with links.
Language: English and Spanish: (Versión en español)