Financial Crime World

Egypt’s Money Laundering Unit and UNODC Host Groundbreaking Workshop on Internet Investigations in Cairo

Collaboration between EMLCU and UNODC in a Digital Age

February 2018, Cairo, Egypt - In light of the evolving digital world and its growing significance as a landscape for money laundering investigations, Egypt’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Combating Unit (EMLCU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) teamed up to host a groundbreaking workshop on “Open Source Internet Investigations.”

Objective and Inauguration

Held in Cairo from the 11th to the 14th of February, the workshop aimed to equip a broad spectrum of concerned national organizations and agencies with the essential knowledge and skills required to effectively gather evidence directly from the internet and various social media platforms using open-source tools.

The workshop was officially inaugurated by Judge Ahmed Said, the chairman of the EMLCU’s board, and Ms. Cristina Albertin, UNODC’s Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa. Both dignitaries underscored the importance of open-source tools in conducting comprehensive internet investigations.

Participating National Bodies

Represented at the event were various national bodies, including:

  • Public Prosecution
  • National Security
  • Administrative Control Authority
  • EMLCU
  • Central Bank of Egypt

Comprehensive Training Agenda

The workshop included an extensive training agenda covering topics such as:

  1. Planning an online investigation

    • Identifying objectives
    • Developing investigation strategies

  2. Advanced search techniques

    • Using search operators
    • Browser extensions
    • Social media search

  3. Capture and handling internet evidence

    • Legal considerations
    • Tools for capturing and saving data
    • Analyzing and preserving evidence

  4. Deep web exploration

    • Accessing hidden information
    • Using deep web search engines

  5. Cryptocurrencies and other relevant subjects

    • Definitions and concepts
    • Investigating cryptocurrencies and blockchain transactions

Hands-on Experience

Participants were given the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in conducting online investigations, enabling them to apply their newfound knowledge to real-life scenarios.