The Regional Security System (RSS) Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) concluded a two week standardised training course for financial investigators with a closing ceremony at the Pommarine Hotel in Barbados on September 23, 2016. Guest speakers were Jefferson Clarke, Law Enforcement Advisor of Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and Brian Roberts, RSS Regional Maritime Officer, who also presented participants with their certificates. This training course is part of a planned programme of continuous personal development for all specialist financial investigators across the RSS member countries with a view to having the financial investigators trained by the RSS ARU certified under the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) Accreditation Programme.
Subjects covered included open source intelligence – using the internet and social media to gather information about suspects; investigating off shore companies and trusts; and the practical application of the law relating to the confiscation of criminal assets. They also received input from French and US law enforcement agencies to increase cooperation between the different investigative units working in the Caribbean region.
Students on the course were drawn from the dedicated financial investigation units in each of the seven RSS treaty countries, as well as two officers from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.