- Alerts for indications sent to the agency by financial institutions account for 83% of the total
- International organizations have increased information exchange and spontaneous communications have increased
The Executive Service of the Commission for the Prevention of Money Laundering (Sepblac) processed 4,757 communications of suspicious transactions in 2015, representing an increase of 2.5% compared to a year earlier. In the last five years, these have experienced an increase of 60%, thanks to the greater vigilance of both financial institutions and other sectors of obliged subjects.
Communications by indication sent by financial institutions account for 83% of the total in 2015. In the case of banks, matters referred 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 occurred in the configuration of the Spanish financial system during the last five years due to bank restructuring.
Non-financial entities, on the other hand, reported about 14% of total communications in 2015. The growth of communications received by real estate development, gambling, as well as commercial businesses 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 by the National Police Corps, which went from 206 to 241 requests, up 17%. Also by the Customs Department (AEAT), which increased from 98 to 121 applications, up 23.5%.
Sepblac points out that in the field of international information exchange, the agencies have promoted spontaneous communication, consisting of the voluntary referral of information that is considered of interest to a country, without the need for a previous requirement. As a result of greater international collaboration in financial intelligence, the number of spontaneous communications to Sepblac by other Financial Intelligence Units (UIFS) has increased by 460% in 2015.
Regarding the intelligence reports distributed by the 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 the State Tax Administration Agency (1,080 communications, 2.66% more).
The number of investigations initiated by money laundering varies very slightly between 2011 and 2014, with a total increase of 10% in four years. However, in 2015 it increased by 11% compared to 2014, according to the information provided by the Center for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO).
In 2015, 400 preliminary proceedings were initiated between the Provincial Hearings and the National Court 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 amounts to 217 people as a whole, which represents a clear increase over the previous year, as it appears in the Annual Report of the Office of the Prosecutor 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 located. 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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