The Egmont Group’s Information Exchange Working Group (IEWG) has released a new report exploring how Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) can strengthen global efforts to combat environmental crimes and the illicit financial flows that fuel them.
📌 Why it matters:
Environmental crimes such as illegal wildlife trade, logging, mining, pollution, and unregulated fishing generate billions in criminal profits annually. These crimes are often linked to organized crime and corruption, posing serious threats to ecosystems, economies, and communities.
📌 What’s in the report:
Based on survey responses from FIUs across all regions, the report highlights:
- FIU challenges in detecting and investigating environmental crime-related financial activity
- The role of National Risk Assessments in shaping FIU engagement
- The need for red flags, typologies, and case studies tailored to environmental crime
- Strategies to enhance FIU effectiveness, including stronger cooperation, automation, and training
📘 The report offers actionable recommendations and outlines next steps for implementation, either through a second phase or gradual rollout.
💪 Let’s empower FIUs to play a leading role in protecting our planet by disrupting the financial networks behind environmental crime.
