Police fighting for new money laundering legislation
According to him, with serious organised crimes being committed in the Territory, including drug and firearm trafficking, money is obtained, and because of that people have to use that money for legitimate purposes.
“Now the BVI is very much a cash based society and sometimes you look around the Territory and you wonder where do people get their money from in terms of affording their three, four, five cars; their six, seven buildings, their boats and these kinds of things...and appear to have no legitimate means of obtaining that money,” the acting COP stated.
In light of this, the RVIPF partnered with the FIA and banks in terms of looking at the cash that comes in and goes out of the Territory. However, Morris admitted that the agencies’ hands are tied due to legislation.
“We need better legislation to seize money through the civil courts and ask people to explain where they get their thousands of dollars. We investigate but the legislation is around criminal law, whereby people have to be convicted before you can begin to start looking at seizing their assets. We are working very closely with the AG’s Office in terms of bringing in new money laundering legislation very similar to the United Kingdom, that will give the Police and the FIA more room to look at people in terms of civil legislation and they will have to give details as to where they get their money from,” Mr. Morris added.
And while, he cannot comment on active investigations, the acting COP revealed that the Police do get reports of suspicious activities. He was also tight-lipped as to how many persons are under surveillance.
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