The project “Countering Money Laundering in Albania” continues to support Albanian authorities in their efforts to enhance the effectiveness of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures.

As part of this initiative, a specialised workshop on the investigation of trade-based money laundering (TBML) was delivered to investigators and representatives from the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the State Police, Customs, Tax Administration and the Financial Intelligence Agency. The sessions aimed to strengthen participants’ understanding of TBML risks and typologies and to enhance their capacity to effectively detect and investigate such cases in practice. The workshop focused on areas including trade-based money laundering techniques, use of financial intelligence, risk assessment, inter-agency co-operation, and investigative tools and methods. Legal and procedural aspects related to prosecution, as well as asset identification, management and confiscation of illicit proceeds, were also addressed.

This initiative promotes the effective application of AML/CFT standards in operational practice and strengthens institutional co-operation in combating complex financial crimes, including trade-based money laundering.

This support was rendered in the framework of the project “Countering Money Laundering in Albania” co-financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.