NCJ Number
142623
Date Published
1990
Length
535 pages
Annotation
The Canadian Ministry of the Solicitor General undertook a comprehensive study of money laundering in Canada as a means of providing an educational tool for Canadian law enforcement agencies in their efforts to trace, seize, and forfeit the illegal proceeds of crime.
Abstract
This research, based on qualitative data obtained from 150 police cases involving money laundering, identifies the salient and common characteristics of laundering cases and explores the vulnerability of Canadian business and financial institutions to money laundering schemes. Nine primary vehicles used by criminal enterprises in their laundering activities were identified, including deposit-taking institutions; currency exchange houses; the securities market; real estate; the incorporation and operation of legitimate companies; gold and gems; miscellaneous vehicles including the insurance industry, legalized gambling, and travel agencies; white collar professionals; and the transborder movement of illicit monies. The Solicitor General named five areas that have a direct impact on efforts to counter money laundering: law enforcement and the broader criminal justice system; private sector companies, management, and employees; professional associations; industry and government regulators; and transborder regulators. The findings emphasize the need to coordinate future efforts to combat money laundering between industry, regulatory, and law enforcement bodies, as well as across different sectors. Cooperation must include sharing of experience, expertise, prevention resources, enforcement intelligence, and technology.