From February 27 to March 1, 2024, the World Customs Organization (WCO), in collaboration with the Egmont Group (EG), hosted the second Financial Intelligence Compendium Workshop in Lima, Peru. This event, funded by the U.S. Department of State - Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), brought together 28 participants from 8 Customs administrations and 13 Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) across the Latin America region for a four-day intensive training focused on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML-CTF).

The workshop kicked off with opening remarks from WCO, EG and SBS representatives, emphasizing the critical importance of cooperation between Customs and FIUs. They highlighted the successes of past collaborations and discussed plans for future initiatives aimed at combating money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF). It was pointed out that the unique roles of Customs administrations in managing trade and passenger data, and FIUs in monitoring suspicious transactions are vital for tackling trade-based money laundering (TBML) and are vital components to global and regional security.

Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in hands-on training covering suspicious activity/transaction reporting, operational analysis, strategic analysis, trade-based money laundering (TBML) investigation and terrorism financing. The practical exercises fostered collaboration between Customs and FIU representatives, identifying common goals and strategies for AML/CTF investigations.

The event concluded with the WCO and the EG thanking the Peruvian FIU and the Peruvian Customs Administration (the Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administracion Tributaria - SUNAT) for hosting the workshop and the U.S. State Department – Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (DoS-INL) for its financial support. The support of these organizations was crucial for the development of the Financial Intelligence Compendium and the execution of this expanding global training program. This workshop in Lima represents a significant step forward in the global effort to fight money laundering, highlighting the power of international cooperation and the shared commitment to enhancing regional security.