The Financial Intelligence Units and Economic Crime Units from Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey and Isle of Man have invested in staff development through the provision of two intensive training packages; a Money Laundering Investigation Course and a Bribery and Corruption Course, both delivered through the City of London Police’s Economic and Cyber Crime Academy.   The virtual bespoke course was arranged through the Quad Island Forum of Financial Intelligence Units. 

The two-part course was tailor made to address the specific needs of the Crown Dependencies and Gibraltar, taking into account the respective legislative frameworks and policies of each jurisdiction.  Commencing in October 2022, the courses have been attended by over 60 officers and delivered to small groups over a 5-month period.

The Money Laundering Investigations course was designed to develop learners’ knowledge and skills in investigating money laundering, guiding investigators in identifying money laundering activities carried out by both individuals and organised crime groups.  It covered specific topics such as money laundering typologies, conducting investigations, the tools and tactics available to financial investigators, using financial intelligence from Suspicious Activity Reports and the identification of suspicious transactions.

The second specialist course on Bribery and Corruption was designed for attendees to learn how to plan a bribery investigation, examine investigation strategies, maximise opportunities and future-proofing enquiries.

Despite being delivered virtually, the courses also provided officers with opportunities to network and learn more about their counterparts’ capabilities and legislation, which are extremely helpful in international investigations. 

The Quad Island Forum of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) facilitates the sharing of knowledge and experience and works collaboratively to achieve the four jurisdictions’ aims and objectives. One of the primary aims of the Forum was to enhance training and development opportunities with other FIUs and Anti-Money-Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing authorities.  Recognising the importance of training and capacity building the Forum engaged directly with the City of London Police to explore new avenues for specialist training.  This was shared with the Economic Crime Units during their participation in the Quad Island meetings that are held in London. 

The Director of the Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unit, Edgar Lopez, who currently chairs the Quad Island Forum, said “This training opportunity has been made possible through the contribution and coordination of the Forum, demonstrating its effectiveness in sharing capacity building.  We are very grateful to the City of London Police and their trainers and congratulate all the participants for their continued engagement during the training sessions.  We now have all our officers trained and look forward to put the newly learnt skills into practice”.

The City of London Police Economic and Cyber Crime Academy (ECCA) plays a pivotal role in the fight against economic crime, providing a centre of excellence for training the wider economic crime community.

ENDS