Effective investigation of financial crimes is a cornerstone for ensuring the stability of a country’s economic system, which requires adequate capacity of the law enforcement authorities in detection and disruption of complex financial schemes used to conceal the origins of illicit funds.
A two-day training course to enhance the effectiveness of financial crime investigations within the domestic legal system was organised by the Council of Europe. The training brought together investigators and operative intelligence officers from the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Republic of Armenia and representatives from the Financial Monitoring Centre under the Central Bank of Armenia, as well as officials conducting operational and intelligence activities.
The training covered a range of relevant topics, including methods for investigating predicate offenses preceding money laundering, the use of results from operational and intelligence measures and information from open sources in detecting financial crimes, and the identification of suspicious indicators of money laundering.
Moreover, the event also provided a broader perspective of the potential use of tools beyond information obtained through operational intelligence measures, such as data received from foreign countries, as well as information provided by domestic authorities.
Particular attention was given to the tools for detecting money laundering and corruption-related offenses, interagency co-operation, the use of digital currencies in the laundering of assets obtained through criminal activity, and the importance of international cooperation in financial investigations and asset recovery.
The Council of Europe remains committed to supporting the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia as well as other national stakeholders through sustainable and continued cooperation.
Through continued co-operation, capacity-building, and exchange of experience, this partnership aims to enhance the country’s ability to combat financial crimes and corruption, ensuring sustainable reforms aligned with international standards.
This event is part of the European Union and the Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the Project on “Enhancing national capacities for effective prevention and fight against economic crime in Armenia”.
