AFP – Financial Treason & Crime

Karen Tan, 07 June 2021

You might not have heard of it before, or even know what it is, but “cuckoo Smurfing” is a sneaky way organised criminals engage in money laundering, by exploiting the legitimate bank accounts of individuals and businesses in Australia.

It is used to move illegal funds into Australia and disguise profits from criminal activities. The key targets appear to be Australian expatriates and exporters, international students studying in Australia, international investors and migrants wishing to settle in Australia.

When Australia’s financial crime regulator, AUSTRAC, released its new financial crime guide last week (3 June 2021), it warned businesses and consumers about the “cuckoo Smurfing” method, and described it as a “sinister practice with an endearing name.” Continue reading “Article: Financial crime regulator warns about the world of ‘cuckoo Smurfing’”

04/13/202104/13/2021

Article: How the pandemic became an EU goldmine for crime

Article - Media, Publications

How the pandemic became an EU goldmine for crime

ANDREW RETTMAN, 13 April 2021

The recession set to hit Europe after the pandemic will help organised crime penetrate legitimate business and recruit out-of-work specialists, the EU’s joint police agency, Europol, has warned.

“Businesses operating in sectors suffering particularly negative economic pressures, such as the hospitality, catering and tourism sectors, are becoming more vulnerable to criminal infiltration,” it said in a report out on Monday (12 April). Continue reading “Article: How the pandemic became an EU goldmine for crime”