14/12/2023
The European programme COPOLAD, in coordination with the Latin American Financial Action Task Force (GAFILAT), promotes strategies for the recovery of assets derived from criminal activities
Presentation of the guide produced by COPOLAD at the event in Cartagena de Indias
The XX Meeting of Contact Points of the RRAG and the High-Level Meeting on Asset Recovery took place in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), where COPOLAD, the European programme on drug policies, presented several working tools aimed at promoting the recovery of assets from criminal activities.
One of the main objectives of the Latin American Financial Action Task Force (GAFILAT), an intergovernmental organisation that brings together 18 Latin American countries, is to prevent and combat the laundering of the proceeds of illicit activities. A key part of this objective is the tracing, seizure and confiscation of such assets, with the aim of reducing the economic potential of criminal organisations and discouraging criminal acts. This is the specific task of the GAFILAT Asset Recovery Network (ARN), in which each member country has designated two points of contact, usually from the prosecutor’s office and the police.
During the working sessions, COPOLAD presented a series of tools developed in coordination with GAFILAT, including best practice guides on asset forfeiture and parallel financial investigations. Technical improvements to the RRAG platform for the exchange of information between member countries’ contact points were also presented.
In the framework of the meetings, a proposal for a declaration to be presented for adoption by the GAFILAT Plenary of Representatives in December 2023 has been agreed, to reiterate the commitment of national authorities in the area of asset recovery. Recent changes in international standards on asset recovery were also presented and discussed.
These meetings were attended by representatives of prosecutors’ offices, national police and financial intelligence units from GAFILAT member countries. Also in attendance were the president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Raja Kumar, the president of GAFILAT, Jorge Chediak, and the Colombian Minister of Justice and Law, Néstor Osuna, among other authorities.
