In response to a request from
President Christodoulides to further empower the Republic of Cyprus (ROC) to
counter illicit finance, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with support from the US Department
of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
(INL) and Embassy Nicosia have established direct cooperation with ROC law
enforcement entities to enhance capacity in identifying and prosecuting
financial crimes.
To this end, in the coming
days, the FBI and the Cyprus National Police (CNP) will sign a Memorandum of
Understanding formalising collaboration between the two justice systems,
including key law enforcement partners, the Law Office of the Republic (LOR) and
the Finance Intelligence Unit (MOKAS). Building on existing efforts to
counter money laundering and sanctions evasion, the DOJ in 2024 will share
its experience with Cypriot counterparts to proactively detect, investigate
and prosecute cases involving financial crimes with a nexus to Cyprus and
will provide expert prosecutorial assistance; a substantial US investment in
Cypriot capacity.
With this increased US
partnership, the ROC intends to further enhance its efforts to counter money
laundering and strengthen future prosecutions to continue to improve the
strength, integrity and resilience of the Cypriot legal system and economy.
DOJ elements, including the
FBI, the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and
Training (OPDAT), Task Force KleptoCapture and the Money Laundering and Asset
Recovery Section (MLARS), collaborated with INL and Embassy Nicosia to
respond to President Christodoulides’ request.
The closer cooperation of the
American and Cypriot justice systems is a welcome development and both sides
look forward to the progress this collaboration will yield.
(RM/GS/MS)
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