newsdetails

June 05, 2011

H.E Dubai Customs Director General delivering speech during training workshop.

Dubai Customs participated in a training workshop about illegal money transference operation across borders and ways of confronting the phenomenon of money laundering. The workshop was organized by American National Security under the sponsorship of His Excellency, Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone, Director General of Dubai Customs and was attended by 49 customs inspectors and employees from four local government departments.

The workshop came as a step within the framework of enhancing the national and regional cooperation amongst nations towards exchanging experience and endeavouring to increase awareness with aim of confronting crimes against economy. The organization of this workshop under the sponsorship of Dubai Customs ensures keenness of the Department on caring for its own inspectors as the front-line protectors seeking to equip them with the necessary know–how and skills in order to assume their roles across borders, air, sea and land ports. The workshop also reaffirms efforts of the Department in enhancing cooperation and maintaining continued interaction with its key stakeholders as practically Dubai Customs had previously coordinated with the American National Security Dept. and for the last two years organized three training courses in areas of detecting cargos, risk management and ways of searching containers and goods.

His Excellency, Ahmed Butti Ahmed delivered his speech in the workshop with the attendance of His Excellency, Mr. Justin Siberell, USA Consul General in Dubai, who expressed thanks to H.E Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Director General of Dubai Customs for hosting the conference, and said “ The exchange of information and experiences among the delegations represented in the event will help build cooperative relationships towards securing our borders from the influx of illegal and unreported cash. I am pleased that the United States and the UAE are taking concrete steps aimed at stopping the flow of illicit money and the crimes it perpetuates”.

H.E Dubai Customs DG with H.E American Consul General during the launch of the training course.

H. E Ahmed Butti said that global concern over money laundering has increased in the last three decades specially with the worked turning to be more globalised, the rapid growth of information and communication technology, and the absence of transparency in the commercial transactions in many countries which results in a set of negative impacts on all economic, social and security aspects.

“Since the key objective of the anti-money laundering and terrorism combating systems is to protect the national economy against criminal and illegitimate moneys, our concern with the training aspect on anti-money laundering has increased as we believe that training is the strategic option for any agency looking forward to preparing a capable manpower for catering business needs and pacing with the on-going developments as the technological and scientific advancement is rapidly growing in our current era leading to a consistent requirement for learning new skills and sciences” he added.

H.E highlighted that Dubai Customs takes every possible care for its manpower and seeks to equip them with necessary experience and skills in order to help them play their roles in growth and development. Dubai Customs employees last year received an average of 35 training hours for each employee, the highest registered rate at Dubai Government Level. “ Dubai Customs endears to promote its relationship and cooperation with the USA customs related agencies and in other countries worldwide, especially, we regard such cooperation is coming as part of our strategy towards enhancing the experiences and keeping pace with applicable international obligation in relevant areas” he added.

H.E American Consul General delivering speech during training workshop.

The 49 inspectors and employees participating in this training course, who came from Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Alkhaima customs administrations, in addition to the Dubai Director General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, received hands-on and theoretical training in various areas related to money laundering operations such as basics of money laundering, detection, different ways of smuggling, ways of concealing money, investigation technicalities (body language interpretation), understanding passengers and finding out suspected ones, information analysis, collation and reports drafting. The training courses were conducted by experts and specialists from the American Investigation Office of the American National Security Depart. The participants also got acquainted with the most important UAE laws for declaring money as explained to them by Huda Bahlool, Manager of National Code for Importers and Exporters Project – Federal Customs Authority.

The participants assured the importance of such workshops, and praised its good timing of organisation. The global crunch exposed many points of weakness and faults in the present international financial system, namely , weakness of control over finance and money transactions and the on-going demonstrations against rulers in the Middle East which are, as believed, caused leak of wealth outside these countries, and the possibility that the source of these wealth is unlawful and can be used in supporting terrorism and crime.

Group photo for the participants in the workshop with H.E Dubai Customs Director General
and H.E Consul General.

On the other hand, the Central Bank of UAE had also contributed in leading the efforts of the country in controlling money laundering. In this regard, the bank ordered all companies and money exchange agencies across the country to provide information about in-warding and out-warding transactions and report any suspected illegal activities. The bank also, issued in 1993 its circular to all exchange agencies in UAE not to open any fictitious or secret accounts for customers and in 1998 also issued its circular directing all the exchange agencies in UAE to control and trace any bank transactions not in proportion with incomes. The bank in the same mentioned year, established a special unit for controlling money laundry and suspected activities to analyse, study and take necessary actions. Within the framework of these local efforts, UAE, in 2000, with chairmanship of CB Governor formed the National Committee for encountering money laundering, which is in charge of drafting out policies for controlling money laundry in the country.

Attendants during the launch of the training works

The total volume of money laundering operations and the suspected cases worldwide constituted in 2009 3% of the international Gross Domestic Product representing over USD 1.5 trillion, according to officials at the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENA FATF)

Dubai Customs Participated in a Training Workshop on Smuggling Money Overseas

Related News: