Groundbreaking Training Program Launched to Combat Financial Crime in Afghanistan
Combating Transnational Financial Crimes in a Conflict Zone
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attaché Office at the US Embassy in Kabul recently hosted a pioneering two-week Cross Border Financial Investigations Training program for 17 Afghan law enforcement and financial investigators. The training, which took place from May 11 to 22, focused on combating financial crime and disrupting the flow of illicit funds.
Comprehensive Curriculum Covers Range of Topics
The HSI-led program, dubbed CBFIT, provides specialized training, technical assistance, and best practices to foreign law enforcement personnel on cross-border financial crimes. The comprehensive curriculum covers a range of topics, including:
- Money laundering
- Bulk currency smuggling
- Informal value transfer systems
- Trade-based money laundering
- Cross-border fraud
- Investigative techniques
- Kleptocracy
- Asset forfeiture
Hands-on Exercises Teach Participants How to Identify and Disrupt Illicit Financial Activity
Participants in the CBFIT program learned how Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and terrorist organizations collect, store, and move illicit proceeds through hands-on exercises. This training is a crucial tool in identifying, disrupting, and dismantling transnational money laundering organizations.
A Significant Milestone for HSI
The CBFIT program marks a significant milestone for HSI, as it is the first of its kind conducted in a conflict zone. The shared problem of transnational organized criminal networks poses a threat to Afghanistan, the United States, and regional partners alike. Through this training initiative, HSI provides specialized expertise in identifying and disrupting illicit financial activity that undermines economic security.
Commitment to Preventing Illegal Trade, Travel, and Finance
The US Embassy Kabul and ICE’s HSI are committed to preventing illegal trade, travel, and finance, as well as the flow of money derived from transnational criminal activity. The agency’s attachés play a critical role in directing operations, serving as liaisons to local governments, and providing training and capacity-building assistance to foreign law enforcement counterparts.
Global Reach and Expertise
With 67 offices and eight Department of Defense liaisons across 48 countries, HSI is well-positioned to address the global threat of financial crime. The agency’s international operations are directed by attachés who coordinate investigations with foreign law enforcement agencies, provide training, assist in deportations, and refer requests from host country agencies to ICE domestic investigative offices.
Conclusion
The Cross Border Financial Investigations Training program is a critical step in combating transnational financial crimes in Afghanistan and beyond. Through this initiative, HSI demonstrates its commitment to preventing illegal trade, travel, and finance, and its expertise in identifying and disrupting illicit financial activity that undermines economic security.