FIAP strengthens capabilities against money laundering in digital environments

The use of crypto assets has transformed the way complex financial crimes and money laundering are carried out. In Ecuador, new regulations and strategies are being implemented to tackle these crimes, leveraging technology to improve asset traceability and criminal defence. Organised crime is linked to illicit activities that use crypto assets, and multidisciplinary approaches are being developed to address this issue.

In response to this situation, through the European SERPAZ project, FIAP has organised, together with Expertise France, a training session on investigating the use of crypto assets and the Dark Web in money laundering crimes linked to organised crime.

For one week, the workshops were aimed at 100 officials from the Attorney General's Office, the National Police, the Ministry of the Interior, the Superintendency of Banks, the Financial and Economic Analysis Unit (UAFE), the Internal Revenue Service, the Central Bank of Ecuador, and other strategic institutions of the National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing System.

The aim of the workshops is to strengthen technical, analytical and inter-institutional coordination capacities in relation to the use of crypto-assets and digital environments such as the dark web in money laundering schemes linked to organised crime. Topics covered included: types of money laundering, transaction traceability, analysis of complex financial flows and identification of digital evidence, among others.

During the conference, participants attended keynote speeches, analysed real-life cases and took part in practical exercises aimed at strengthening the government's operational response.

In the coming months, the SERPAZ programme will continue to develop technical assistance, exchange best practices and strengthen institutions, contributing to a more coordinated, technical and effective response from the state.

The European Union thus reaffirms its commitment to supporting Ecuador in strengthening its institutions, promoting modern responses to the challenges of organised crime and contributing to the protection of economies and democratic stability.