The Commission will receive aid from the appropriate government agencies of the EU member nations.
The Financial Investigation Unit (FFIU), located at the Brandenburg State Criminal Police Office, has been a cornerstone in Germany's efforts to combat money laundering since its establishment in 1999. The FFIU was formed in response to overlapping legal responsibilities and the need for centralized money laundering prevention.
The FFIU serves as the national centre for receiving, collecting, and analysing suspicious transaction reports related to money laundering, related predicate offenses, or terrorism financing. It processes cases based on these reports as a key area of activity. The unit collaborates closely with various supervisory authorities, partner agencies throughout Germany, and financial authorities of the states.
The FFIU appoints liaison officers in state criminal police offices, including those in Berlin and Brandenburg, to foster close and trusting cooperation. These liaison officers are appointed by the respective state criminal police authorities.
The FFIU's jurisdiction extends to all cases related to money laundering investigations for lower-level offenses as criminal offenses, due to the amendment to the Criminal Code in 2021 and the introduction of the so-called All-Crime Approach. This means that the FFIU is responsible for handling all cases related to money laundering investigations.
Reports are exclusively submitted to the FFIU by entities subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). The AMLA obliges banks, insurers, financial service providers, casinos, real estate agents, and goods dealers to file suspicious transaction reports.
As of 2023, the FFIU Brandenburg has processed over 2,000 cases and received nearly 1,500 money laundering suspicion reports from the Central Office for Financial Transactions Analysis (FIU) and 200 cash seizures from Berlin Brandenburg Airport and the border region with the Republic of Poland. Six-figure sums are regularly secured and confiscated after the conclusion of investigations by the judiciary in these cases.
The FFIU works closely with the Specialist Prosecutor's Office for Combating Money Laundering in the State of Brandenburg since its inception in 1999. Prior to the introduction of the money laundering offense in the Criminal Code (§ 261 StGB) in 1992, investigations were conducted independently in both authorities.
For inquiries, the FFIU's contact information is: Zollfahndungsamt Berlin-Brandenburg Press Office, Kim Tkocz, Telephone: 0335/563-2062, Email: [email protected], www.zoll.de.
The work of the FFIU is crucial in maintaining the integrity of Germany's financial system and ensuring that ill-gotten gains are not used to fund further criminal activities. The unit's continued success in combating money laundering underscores the importance of a strong, centralized approach to money laundering prevention.
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