Money laundering and other forms of financial-economic crime are widespread in the Caribbean region. However, detecting such offenses in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is particularly complex. This complexity arises from various factors, such as the fact that many Caribbean countries still operate largely as cash economies, and money laundering practices often have a transnational nature. Additionally, budget constraints and limited capacity pose challenges to the detection of such crimes. The use of modern technology by criminal networks adds another layer of complexity.
To enhance the detection and investigation of financial-economic crime, the Board of the Chiefs of Police in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom organized a training on financial crime scripting from February 10 to 14. This training focused on the following key questions: How do criminal organizations operate, and how do their financial flows work?
Financial crime scripting is a methodology that helps analyze and expose criminal business processes and revenue models. By systematically mapping these, law enforcement agencies can take more effective action against money laundering, fraud, and other forms of financial-economic crime. This method builds on the well-established crime scripting methodology, which is an analytical tool designed to understand how criminal activities are carried out, what steps are involved, and which people, resources, and locations play a role.
A total of eighteen law enforcement professionals from the four police forces and various national detective agencies in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom participated in the training. The training was conducted by Teun van Ruitenburg, Lecturer in Undermining at Avans University of Applied Sciences, Thom Snaphaan, Associate Lecturer in Data, Crime, and Security, and Richard Oranje, former Strategic Operational Specialist of the Dutch National Police.
Over the course of four days, participants received both practical and theoretical tools to better map and combat financial-economic crime. They also gained insight into criminal financial flows and business processes and applied the methodology to case studies.
A deep understanding of criminal financial flows is crucial for targeted intervention and exposing money laundering schemes. This not only aids in identifying offenders but also in disrupting their financial networks. However, police and judicial authorities cannot tackle this issue alone. Such forms of crime require a multidisciplinary approach.
To involve partner organizations in law enforcement and provide senior officials with insight into this methodology, a masterclass was organized following the training. In addition to representatives from the Curaçao
Police Force (KPC), the Curaçao National Detective Agency (LR), and the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM), representatives from the Customs Office, the Financial Intelligence Unit Curaçao (FIU-Curaçao), the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar), and the Criminal Investigation Cooperation Team (RST) also participated.
In the coming period, participants will apply their newly acquired knowledge in practice. With the masterclass and training, law enforcement partners have taken a significant step forward in strengthening their expertise and cooperation in the fight against financial-economic crime.
