NCA warning before money laundering in connection with human smuggling National crime authority

Officers of the National Crime Agency warned registered Hawaladars in Great Britain about the consequences of organized immigration crime.

Hawaladar systems serve completely legitimate purposes, but are exploited by criminals who want to be displaced under criminal law, including smuggling activity with small boat people.

Visits to 44 companies across Great Britain were delivered by the NCA in coordination with the HMRC over two days, 25 and 26 February. They were also visited by 9 forces officers – an exhibition of the common commitment to increase intelligence agencies through financial rivers associated with those that smuggle and enable people.

Hawala is a kind of informal value transfer system that works on the basis of the transmission of value without actual money movement. It is strongly based on trust – between Hawaladars and their customers and in the networks themselves.

These systems are used for a variety of reasons, such as B. cheaper or faster money transfer, cultural preference, lack of trust in banks or because they are the only channel can be transmitted by the fund in certain conflict regions.

In Great Britain they are subject to regulations and standards. You must be compliant with money laundering, terrorist financing and the transfer of the fund regulations and must legally report something suspicious for the NCA.

Those who do not do this do not risk criminal charges, severe fines, business closures and severe reputation damage. Those who are smuggled by people who are willingly or unintentionally smuggled by people help to fuel a crime that endangers the life of thousands.

Last year, after an investigation by the National Crime Agency of the Iranian Hawaladar Asghar Gheshalghian, eight years in prison was sentenced to be convicted of managing a incoming bank service company that serves people with smuggling networks.

Gheshalghian acted as a trustworthy middleman, accepted payments from migrants or their families and then solved money to the criminal gangs after completing their trips to Great Britain, with a commission being charged.

The activity of this week was developed to emphasize the importance of vigilance, the Signpost reporting mechanisms and to warn everyone in the industry that non -compliance with legislation will lead to serious consequences. It will be paired with further activities in the coming months.

Alex Murray, Director Threat Leadership at the National Crime Agency, said:

“Organized immigration break is a fatal threat that led to more than 70 deaths in the canal last year alone. Criminal gangs are behind these intersections.

“The National Crime Agency has around 70 ongoing investigations into the smuggling networks of people and we are determined to do everything to address the participants – including those who activate these criminal activities.

“Tinry companies offer an important service, and the vast majority corresponds to regulation.

“However, it is absolutely important that everyone who works in this sector remains vigilant, report suspicious activities and play their role in stopping this terrible crime.

“Those who are not persecuted and persecuted as hard as those who are directly involved in the organization of the intersections.”

Louise Macdonald, deputy director of economic crime at the HMRC fraud examination service, said:

“Companies that do not comply with money laundering regulations leave themselves and the British economy that are open to attacks by criminals, including those involved in organized immigration fraud.

“We know that many registered Hawaladars offer important and legitimate services for the numerous communities. For this reason, we work with NCA partners to protect them from criminals that would make their services victim, and we will use all of our powers to tackle those who do not fulfill their legal obligations. “

Minister of border security and asylum, lady Angela Eagle, said:

“Hawaladar's lawyer is responsible for reporting suspicious activities and as this warning makes it clear, we will not hesitate to pursue those who enable people to benefit from countless lives.”

“This government continues to combat organized immigration crime and the fight against illegal financial resources is a priority because we work to secure the boundaries of the United Kingdom and to meet the plan for changes.”