The FIAU has published a new strategic analysis titled The Landscape of Organised Crime in Malta: An FIAU Perspective, providing insights into the evolving landscape of organised crime linked to Malta.
The report examines a total of 540 suspicious reports received between 2021 and 2024 and outlines key trends, typologies, and risk indicators associated with organised criminal groups.
The analysis identifies fraud, drug trafficking, and tax-related offences as prominent predicate crimes, while highlighting the continued reliance of organised criminal groups on financial systems to launder illicit proceeds.
The use of robust screening and monitoring systems which in turn are complimented by the use of open source intelligence also emerged as a primary trigger for suspicion. The report also identifies concerns relating to source of funds/wealth and unusual transactional behaviour as key indicators of potential money laundering activity.
Sectoral analysis shows that remote gaming operators and credit institutions are among the main contributors in identifying organised crime-related activity, reflecting varying exposure levels across sectors.
The report further highlights the importance of international cooperation, with a significant proportion of reports resulting in the sharing of information with foreign Financial Intelligence Units, particularly in Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.
This publication forms part of the FIAU’s ongoing efforts to enhance awareness of money laundering risks and to support subject persons in identifying emerging threats.
The FIAU encourages all reporting entities to make use of this analysis in their risk assessments and to refer to the guidance code SA26-1 when submitting suspicious activity reports informed by this document
To download and read the Guidance Document, kindly click here