From 7 to 10 August, the OSCE trained financial investigators from Moldova and Ukraine on mitigating blockchain obfuscation techniques used by criminals at a course organized by the Polish Ministry of Finance in Warsaw.
Considering that criminals are increasingly using blockchain technology to conceal and launder the proceeds of their illicit activities, the training aimed to familiarize participating investigators with a wide range of techniques used by criminals to obfuscate cryptocurrency transactions. Through practical exercises, participants acquired essential skills to conduct specialized investigations targeting these techniques.
“Understanding and addressing these techniques is essential to maintaining transparency and combating illicit activities in the financial system. This training aims to deepen our understanding of these methods and equip us with the tools to effectively identify and counter them,” said Anna Chałupa, Inspector General for Financial Information at the Polish Ministry of Finance.
Blockchain technology is evolving rapidly, as are the methods criminals use to evade law enforcement. Practitioners are required to stay abreast of these developments through ongoing training and awareness.
The OSCE contributes to these efforts through its extrabudgetary project “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money Laundering Risks Related to Virtual Assets”, implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. The project is financially supported by Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States.
