UNODC Strengthens Kazakh Government Agencies In Combating Money Laundering and Return of Stolen Assets

UNODC jointly with the Financial Monitoring Agency of Kazakhstan conducted a study visit for representatives of Interdepartmental Commission for the Return of Assets (Deputy to General Prosecutor) and Financial Monitoring Agency (First Vice-Chair of the Agency) to the United Kingdom from 5 to 9 December 2022.

Facilitated by the Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism (GPML), the visit was organized to establish working connections with UK competent authorities and to enhance the effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)  national system of Kazakhstan.

BACKGROUND

UNODC under the Programme for Central Asia for 2022-2025 provides ongoing technical assistance to Member States, including the Republic of Kazakhstan. UNODC implements the plan on practical measures for developing cooperation and strengthening the capacity of the Financial Monitoring Agency of Kazakhstan and the competent authorities for anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing according to international requirements, where the main beneficiary is the Financial Monitoring Agency of Kazakhstan (Agency).

In June 2022, the President of Kazakhstan established Commission on Combating the Illegal Concentration of Economic Resources, commonly referred to as the Interdepartmental Commission for the Return of Assets. As the result of the Interdepartmental Commission the President’s order on development of the Law on return of stolen assets was issued later in November 2022.

BEST PRACTICIES

National Crime Agency (NCA), Economic Crime Commission (NECC) where the delegation discussed the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) functioning, national risk assessment and role of Economic Crime Commission. UK colleagues shared their best practices in national/international interagency working models and non-prosecution disruption tools.

UK is the one of the first countries which implemented AML/CFT Professional Development System and accreditation of financial investigators. The NCA Head of Financial Investigations has shared UK experience in accreditation and professional development process of the personnel.  UNODC jointly with Financial Monitoring Agency and the Law Enforcement Academy under the General Prosecutor’s Office are implementing Professional Development and Accreditation System in Kazakhstan. The meeting brought to the light specific aspects of UK and Kazakh AML/CFT system and how the Britain’s system experience can be effectively applied to the Kazakh’s needs and peculiarities.

The National Crime Agency’s experts also gave an overview on the Joint Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce (JMLIT) and Private and Public Partnership Team and tools on cooperation with Kazakhstan’s competent agencies. National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit (Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command) provided the best practices of disruption approach, strategy, risks and trends in terrorist financial crimes as well as shared an experience in combating foreign terrorist fighters from Iraq and Syria. The meeting brough a high impact of understanding of the police powers and authority in detecting and investigating of crimes related to terrorism financing.

A meeting was led by AML/CFT Judge regarding legal interpretations, prosecution & adjudication, and appeals of AML/CFT offences. The Judge invited the delegation to the trail in the Southwark Court of a case brought by the Serious Fraud Office. In course of the meeting after the trail the Judge enthusiastically shared his experience on international cases on the return of stolen assets and expressed his willingness to cooperate with Kazakh state agencies on the cases related to this topic.

Kazakh delegation had a fruitful meeting with the Charity Commission for England and Wales as the regulator of charities in England and Wales and maintainer of the charity register.

The visit was highly efficient for Kazakh competent agencies considering the Government and the President’s demand in establishing an independent Commission on Asset Recovery. Good working contacts are established, reached an agreement with the NCA on further cooperation on ML/TF cases, established good working bilateral relations with the leading UK judge on ML/TF cases and agreed on further cooperation with him as an expert to provide recommendation on legislation development.

This study visit is a part of UNODC programme in Central Asia and the UNODC Global Programme Against Money Laundering with financial support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the US. Department of State.

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For more information contact Vasilina Brazhko

UNODC Communication and PR Specialist 

at + 996775987817 or 

by em-ail vasilina.brazhko {at}un.org