LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Following more than 100 searches, a European investigation involving authorities from Malta, Italy, France, Germany, Estonia and Latvia concluded how a Maltese financial firm laundered at least 4.5 million in proceeds from criminal activities since the end of 2015.
Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation added, “the total sum of laundered money could amount to tens of millions of euros.”
The operation was against a Russian-Eurasian criminal network and a Maltese-based financial institution allegedly involved in money-laundering services.
Four suspects were detained during an action day supported by Eurojust and Europol. Potential suspects and witnesses were also interviewed in Latvia, Germany, Estonia and Malta. More than 460 police officers were involved in this operation while various bank accounts and properties were seized.
According to Eurojust, the unnamed Maltese financial institution and the organised crime group behind it offered money-laundering services through a network of fake enterprises and individuals who were registered directors, without performing any real business activities. The organised crime group operated mainly from Riga and Berlin.
The Latvian authorities began the investigations in 2021 after they noticed unusual money transfers from Latvia to the Maltese financial institution.
Simultaneously, the German authorities started investigations into suspicious money flows involving the same financial institution.
As a result, Eurojust took an immediate action by setting up a coordination centre of an investigative team between the German and Latvian authorities. This was followed by various coordination meetings and execution of European Investigation Orders in the countries involved. A money laundering expert was sent to Latvia supported by Europol and set up a mobile office at Eurojust’s coordination centre to support the operation.
Wednesday’s operations were carried out by the following authorities: Malta: Financial Crimes Investigations Department and Asset Recovery Bureau of the Malta Police; Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office Rome; Guardia di Finanza, Financial Police Unit Rome (Nucleo Polizia Economica e Finanziaria di Roma); Latvia: Riga Northern Prosecution Office; Riga Judicial Region Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of the Economic Crime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police; Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Berlin (Staatsanwaltschaft Berlin); State Office of Criminal Investigations Berlin (Landeskriminalamt Berlin); Estonia: Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Estonia and Estonian Police and Border Guard Board; France: Public Prosecutor’s Office and Investigative Judge – Judicial Court of Nice; National Police (DIPN) Alpes-Maritimes Division (Judicial Police Nice; Research and Intervention Brigade; Financial Brigade) – Border Police.
– Foto: agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).
