Al-Amn Magazine

The CEO of the Financial Intelligence National Centre and Chairperson of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing policy committee, Shaikha May bint Mohammed Al Khalifa inaugurated a workshop titled “Detecting Sanctions Evasion” Pursuing and Penalising Offenders.” The Terrorist Financing Targeting Centre (TFTC), in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organised the workshop. Shaikha May explained that the workshop aims to discuss ways to strengthen member states› efforts to prevent terrorist groups from evading domestic and international sanctions systems. It also seeks to analyse the structure of sanctions, promote their enforcement, and review available mechanisms to detect and pursue evasion cases. The workshop featured a discussion of real-world case studies with the participation of several officials and independent experts. It also reviewed emerging typologies related to sanctions evasion and focused on identifying areas for improvement to reduce opportunities for circumvention and enhance effective compliance with national and international sanctions. This workshop is part of the committee and centre’s ongoing efforts, alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local and international partners, to reinforce security and combat terrorism and its financing The General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security confirmed that, to date, it has not received any official reports related to the fraud case involving a platform known as “The Professor” or (PCEX), as circulated by various media resources and social media platforms, which indicated that citizens had fallen victim to scams under the alleged online investments. The Directorate urged anyone who has been subjected to fraud to file cases through the Directorate’s website, the «MyGov» application, the hotline (992), or by visiting the Directorate in person. It stressed the importance of promptly reporting suspected cases to ensure the necessary legal measures are taken promptly. It clarified that the mentioned platform is unlicensed and not listed among the financial institutions authorised by the Central Bank of Bahrain, making its operations outside the legal framework and exposing those engaging with it to serious financial risks.  The Directorate warned against being misled by deceptive promotional advertisements on social media, which exploit individuals› desire for quick profits without providing any guarantees or official oversight. It urged all citizens and residents to verify the legitimacy of the entities they deal with, and to refrain from engaging in any online investment activity unless the concerned company has obtained an official licence from the Central Bank of Bahrain.  It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the community from cyber fraud crimes and emphasised that it will not tolerate those involved in such cases, and will take strict legal action against them. The Coast Guard conducted an inspection campaign at  Muharraq coastlines and markets to ensure fishermen adhere to fishing regulations. It was held in association with the Interior Ministry’s directorates, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority and other organisations.  The Coast Guard called upon fishermen to follow fishing rules and vowed to continue such campaigns to inspect violations and protect the marine environment. Fi nanci a l I nte l l i gence Nat i ona l Cent re organi ses workshop Coas t Guard campai gn ‘ Fi l e report s for us to t ake act i on ’