Police tackle 'dirty money' scams

Organised gangs often use banks to legitimise their profits

Top police officers have gathered in Scotland to discuss the best ways to tackle money launderers.

Experts from forces in Europe and the US have joined Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA) officers at a conference in Loch Lomond on Monday.

The European Commission-backed event has been examining links between the activities of organised crime groups.

Officers were also focusing on criminals' attempts to legitimise profits through banking and commerce.

The two-day European Suspicious Transaction Reporting conference (ESTR) has been hailed as the first ever European conference to examine this aspect of financial investigation in detail.

I firmly believe that serious organised crime presents one of the greatest threats to the prosperity and stability of communities Graeme Pearson SDEA director

Graeme Pearson, director of the SDEA, said: "Organised criminals operate in pursuit of two inter-linked objectives, power and profit.

"In recent years, we have recognised that to be truly effective we must attack both their overt criminal activity and the money and assets it creates.

"I firmly believe that serious organised crime presents one of the greatest threats to the prosperity and stability of communities, not just in Scotland but throughout Europe.

"To be effective in the investigation of trans-national money laundering, the SDEA and our international partners must take every opportunity to increase partnership working between nation states."

Mr Pearson added: "We know that serious organised crime groups quickly adapt to new opportunities, exploiting intelligence gaps between local, national and international law enforcement agencies."

Recent investigation

He said the conference gave those attending the opportunity to examine investigative techniques, share new ideas and explore best practice.

Marc Vervaenen, head of the Belgian Federal Police Central Division Against Economic and Financial Crimes, said: "The Belgian Federal Police has conducted many successful financial enquiries with its European neighbours.

Mr Pearson said organised criminals only want power and profit

"The ESTR conference represents a significant opportunity to share our experiences with financial investigators from across Europe."

Inspector Gerry Giblin, head of the Garda Money Laundering Unit, said: "The ESTR conference presents a unique opportunity to discuss good practice directly with European counterparts."

A recent investigation, generated in Scotland, centred on the activity of a number of people in eastern Europe suspected of using the UK banking system to launder money.

The operation involved international co-operation between the police and judicial authorities in a number of countries and resulted in the seizure of more than £7m, suspected of being the proceeds of criminal activity.