- Alerts for signs sent to the agency by financial institutions account for 83% of the total
- International organizations have increased the exchange of information and spontaneous communications have increased
The Executive Service of the Commission for the Prevention of Money Laundering (Sepblac) processed 4,757 communications of suspicious operations in 2015, which represents an increase of 2.5% compared to a year earlier. In the last five years, these have experienced an increase of 60%, thanks to greater vigilance both by financial institutions and by other sectors of obligated subjects.
The communications by indication sent by the financial entities represent 83% of the total in 2015. In the case of banks, the cases sent to Sepblac amount to 2,406. There have only been two communications from the savings banks during that year, due to the change that has taken place in the configuration of the Spanish financial system during the last five years due to bank restructuring.
Non-financial entities, for their part, reported close to 14% of total communications in 2015. The growth in communications received by real estate, gaming, and retail promotion entities stands out.
In the section on collaboration with national authorities, during 2015 there was a 15% increase in requests for information from Sepblac. This increase is due to the greater requests for information from the National Police Force, which went from 206 to 241 requests, 17% more. Also by the Customs Department (AEAT), which increased from 98 to 121 requests, 23.5% more.
Sepblac points out that in the field of international information exchange, organizations have promoted spontaneous communication, consisting of the voluntary submission of information that is considered of interest to a country, without the need for a prior request. As a result of increased international collaboration on financial intelligence, the number of spontaneous communications to Sepblac by other Financial Intelligence Units (UIFS) has increased 460% in 2015.
As for the intelligence reports distributed by Sepblac to other authorities and organizations, the increase in the sending of information to the National Police (2,369 communications, 9% more), to the Civil Guard (1,317 communications, 28%) stands out. more) and to the State Tax Administration Agency (1,080 communications, 2.66% more).
The number of investigations initiated for money laundering varies very slightly between 2011 and 2014, with a total increase of 10% in four years. However, in 2015 it has risen 11% compared to 2014, according to information provided by the Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO).
In 2015, between the Provincial Courts and the National Court, 400 preliminary proceedings were initiated for the crime of money laundering. For its part, the total number of people investigated for this reason remained in absolute numbers compared to 2014.
On the other hand, the total number of detainees in 2015 for activities related to terrorism as a whole amounts to 217 people, which is a clear increase compared to the previous year, as shown in the Annual Report of the Prosecutor's Office of the Hearing National.
Sepblac is the Spanish Financial Intelligence Unit and the Supervisory Authority for the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing.
It is an inter-agency body, in which employees of the Ministry of Economy, Bank of Spain, Tax Agency, Police and Civil Guard are assigned. Sepblac acts under the authority of the Commission for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Monetary Offenses, chaired by the Secretary of State for Economy and Business Support.
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