GOTT HOSTS SUCCESSFUL FINANCIAL CRIMES BEST PRACTICES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT OF SPAIN 000232

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, INL-ED RINDLER, KEVIN BROWN
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR OPDAT-ROBERT LIPMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM EFIN PREL PGOV TD
SUBJECT: GOTT HOSTS SUCCESSFUL FINANCIAL CRIMES BEST PRACTICES
WORKSHOP

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.

REF: PORT OF SPAIN 147


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Embassy Port of Spain hosted a successful
financial crime workshop, led by the Department of Justice with
support from Treasury and the UK Serious Organized Crime Office, to
facilitate the drafting of a handbook of best practices by
Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT) officials and private
sector representatives. The workshop, requested by the GOTT's
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP),brought together both law
enforcement officials and banking sector representatives. By the
conclusion, the participants had developed concrete guidance on
combating various crimes and gained experience in developing
strategies to combat other crimes. END SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) Post hosted an April 29 - May 2 workshop to facilitate the
drafting by GOTT officials and private sector representatives of a
best practices handbook for investigating and prosecuting financial
crimes. GOTT prosecutors, police and customs officials participated
in the workshop, along with representatives of RBTT, Scotia Bank,
Citibank, Republic Bank, First Citizens Bank and First Caribbean.
The results were a rough draft of a handbook and, in particular,
protocols for addressing crimes such as drug trafficking and the use
of counterfeit ATM cards. The workshop was designed and facilitated
by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial
Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) with support from
Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) and the
participation of an investigator from the UK's Serious Organized
Crime Office (SOCA). The protocols created during the workshop were
specific to Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and reflected the broad
experience and knowledge of the participants. Once finalized and
published, this "best practices" handbook will be available as a
resource to all T&T prosecutors and investigators handling financial
crimes.

3. (SBU) Given the current level of crime and low detection rates
in T&T, some participants conveyed the impression that the community
is becoming disheartened due to a perceived lack of political will.
With this in mind, the facilitators focused on developing protocols
for specific crimes by utilizing existing resources more effectively
and efficiently. Participants developed a counter-narcotics
strategy to attack the "command and control" of the drug
organizations b focusing on intelligence collection/analysis;
ivestigative techniques; and prosecutions. By utilzing a
template, the participants were able to present the GOTT with a
handbook that utilized T&T' legal system and criminal justice
practices.
. (SBU) During the final day of the workshop, paricipants
analyzed an actual case of ATM card frad presented by a
representative of Rpublic Bank. The digital pictures taken at the
ATMs, which are the primary evidence of these crimes, are not
admissible in court under current T&T law. Thus, law enforcement
seemed to lack enough evidence to take action. The group utilized a
template provided by DOJ/OPDAT and, with guidance from the DPP,
outlined an effective law enforcement strategy to prosecute this
crime.

5. (SBU) The DPP gave the participants his commitment that his
office will build on the progress made during the workshop and
ensure that the best practices handbook will be completed. Post
will encourage and monitor the continued development of the
handbook, its distribution to prosecutors and investigators, and
ongoing engagement with workshop participants to improve the
protocols over time in order to ensure that it remains relevant.
The workshop demonstrated the effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary
approach in developing strategies to combat complex crimes in T&T.
It also highlighted the benefits of a taskforce comprising law
enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to enhance communication
and cooperation in addressing these complex crimes.

6. (SBU) COMMENT: Due to the flow of illegal drugs and weapons as
well as the booming oil-driven economy, Trinidad and Tobago has
experienced an increase in financial crimes. Although Post
continues to promote wiretapping legislation and judicial reform,
these changes are likely to be slow in coming. Therefore, it is
essential that GOTT officials develop strategies to prosecute these
complex crimes under the existing legal framework. Even if this
handbook is not fully utilized, the workshop has already succeeded
in enhancing communication that had previously been lacking among
various agencies and the financial sector. The technical assistance
methodology used in this program have already been applied to
intellectual property violations in T&T (reftel) and can also be
applied to a variety of other crimes, including corruption,
narco-trafficking, and human trafficking. Posts interested in
further details of this program may wish to contact EmbOff James
Kuebler at (868) 822-5922, KueblerJM@state.gov or DOJ/OPDAT Robert
Lipman at (202) 514-0950, Robert.Lipman@usdoj.gov. END COMMENT.



PORT OF SP 00000232 002 OF 002


AUSTIN