WILLEMSTAD - The Action Center Undermining Curaçao (ACOC) has introduced a new casustafel, a working group, on money laundering. Various stakeholders collaborate in this initiative to address the laundering of criminally obtained assets.
ACOC falls under the Ministry of Justice and is a collaborative platform among government and non-government partners involved in combating undermining crime. Participating partners in this 'casustaful’ on money laundering include the Financial Intelligence Unit (both Analysis and Supervision), the Public Prosecution Service, Customs, the Ministry of Justice, the Tax Accountants Bureau Foundation, the Curaçao Police Force, and the Fair Trade Authority Curaçao.
The ‘casustafel’ exchanges information and examines which criminal and administrative measures can be deployed to prevent and combat money laundering practices. Through this collaboration, the involved parties hope to achieve an effective approach and have a preventive impact on money laundering. Financial-economic crime is a complex and comprehensive problem that harms society. ACOC and the participating parties are determined to intensify the fight against money laundering. The ‘casustafel’ is an important tool to achieve this goal. "We are pleased to introduce this new money laundering group in our battle against undermining," says Martine Goosens, coordinator of ACOC. "This collaboration with the involved parties enables us to exchange information and elevate the approach to money laundering to a higher level." "Undermining crime often involves significant amounts of money. Various techniques and methods are used to launder that money. Addressing this issue requires a multidisciplinary approach and effective cooperation between agencies. Sometimes there is limited capacity, and collaboration ensures the most effective use of it, such as building an information position together," says Anne-Marie Kemna, head of FIU Curaçao.
ACOC also addresses the themes of human trafficking and smuggling, undermining in the vehicle industry, and illegal firearm possession and smuggling.