NCJ Number
230384
Date Published
March 2010
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper examines how anti-money laundering (AML) regulations utilized as a non-traditional avenue for stemming illegal logging might be used similarly in Indonesia.
Abstract
Illegal logging operations require a chain of operations including, receiving, buying, selling, or possessing illegal forest products. Indonesia's response to illegal logging has included large-scale, blitz-style law enforcement operations resulting in few crime reduction successes. However, illegal logging has been recognized as a predicate offense (offenses that generate the illicit funds 'laundered' in money laundering activity) for money laundering in the region, thereby advocating the use of anti-money laundering (AML) system as a forestry law enforcement mechanism in Indonesia. Criminal money laundering charges, domestic proceeds of crime recoveries and mutual legal assistance offer different opportunities to use the AML systems in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia to increase the availability of law enforcement outcomes for illegal logging activities in Indonesia. Despite some limitations, the key advantage of expanding the use of AML criminal and regulatory provisions to illegal logging issues is that the AML frameworks are already in place. Applying AML systems is a way for countries in the region to offer assistance to tropical timber countries without the need to develop new, and potentially resource and time intensive approaches. References