Regional CEPOL training course on money laundering took place in Albania

CEPOL Financial Investigations project organised and implemented 5th regional training course “Money laundering in connection with crypto currencies” in Tirana, Albania, between 16 – 20 September 2019.

The course was organised by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) within the framework of the capacity building project Financial Investigation In-Service Training Western Balkan 2017-2019. The Project aims developing and sustaining institutional capacity of the law enforcement agencies of the beneficiary countries (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, The Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia) in order to prevent, investigate and prosecute transnational organised crime and financing terrorism.

The objectives of the training were:

• Use increased skills to discover money laundering and other illegal financial transactions by using crypto currencies and Dark Web;
• Identify the existence and use of virtual currency wallets;
• Use available tools and techniques to identify virtual transactions and to convert this information to intelligence led investigation. e.g. by seizing and confiscating virtual currencies;
• Create sustainable professional networks; strengthen multidisciplinary cooperation.

The course brought together in total 44 law enforcement officials, Financial Investigation Unit officials, prosecutors and judges, from 16 EU Member States and 6 Western Balkan countries. The training hosted 11 experts as guest speakers and trainers from different EU countries and institutions who presented case studies from Romania, Poland, The Netherlands, Albania, Croatia, Hungary and Italy. Representatives/experts from the Delegation of the European Union to Albania, Europol, Eurojust and Western Union provided valuable insight in their activities and cases related to the course topic.

The next training activity within the Western Balkans Financial Investigation In-Service Training Project takes place in Belgrade, Serbia from 21 to 25 October 2019 (Mock Trial).

The Project is funded by the European Commission under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPAII) and it is an integral part of the second IISG Pillar (WBCSCi).