Royal Canadian Mounted Police To Host International Money Laundering Conference

by Mandy Robinson, Tax-news.com, London

04 June 2001

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has announced that it will welcome 650 delegates from some 50 countries to Montreal to take part in the second International Money Laundering Conference (IMLC Montreal 2001) this coming October 15-17. The organising committee said it has paid close attention to the recommendations formulated by the delegates at the conclusion of IMLC Montreal 1998 and has therefore adopted a more interactive approach for the second edition.

The agenda for IMLC Montreal 2001 will include a wide range of issues surrounding the problem of organised crime and money laundering, and is based around four major themes: legislation harmonization and international cooperation; the effectiveness of money laundering detection and repression; problems related to tax havens; and the globalization of organized crime and new trends.

At a press conference held last week, Commissioner with the RCMP in Ottawa and official spokesperson for the conference, Giuliano Zaccardelli, stated: 'IMLC Montreal 2001 is a key strategic event for better comprehending the extent and the complex nature of money laundering and organized crime. This event will allow us to develop an increased partnership between police forces, the private sector and the community to face up to this international menace. In addition, the IMLC will further strengthen the existing links between the RCMP and international police forces, while allowing us to forge new links.'

Featuring five plenary lecture sessions and 17 discussion workshops (divided into 5 sessions), the sessions will be conducted by a range of some 40 specialists, renowned within their countries or on the international scene, from the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. Thanks to an electronic simultaneous translation service, the conference will be conducted in French, English and Spanish.

According to the RCMP, the objectives of the conference are: To bring together the various stakeholders in the fight against organized crime and money laundering; to harmonize efforts and work together to find global and lasting solutions; to increase public awareness of organized crime and money laundering and the real impacts; and to build a sense of responsibility in all sectors of society.

Inspector John Mair, Officer in Charge of the RCMP's Integrated Proceeds of Crime Unit and president of the conference, explained: 'The conference is an indispensable tool for dialogue. The fight against organized crime and money laundering starts with sensitizing the governments and the public, and requires concrete judicial and political action. In this same spirit, the organizing committee is working hard to make IMLC Montreal 2001 a uniquely instructive meeting place that will allow all of the participants to obtain the maximum benefit from their trip to Montreal this fall.'

More information on IMLC Montreal 2001 can be found at the conference's web site at http://www.ciba-imlc-rcmp-grc.org

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