Panama Covid-19 update – La Prensa warns that the week that ended Saturday closed with an approximate daily average of 160 new cases of Covid-19, a figure higher than that of the previous week, when the daily average was 110. It also noted that the number of active cases had shown a slight increase – from 1,582 on Thursday to 1,805 today.
However, so far, ICU cases have continued to decline, and fatalities remain low – with just 1 more reported today. There were 168 new cases, with 21 people in ICU and 111 in other wards.
14 NOVEMBER 2021
RUSSIA STARTS MISSILE SUPPLIES TO INDIA DESPITE US SANCTIONS
On 14 November, the Times of India reported that Russia had begun supply of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, which puts India at risk of US sanctions under a 2017 law for purchasing Russian military hardware.
NORTHERN IRELAND: FERRY WORKER’S ARREST LINKED TO COCAINE SMUGGLING PROBE
On 14 November, Sunday Life reported that police believe they have disrupted a major drug smuggling network that saw huge amounts of cocaine brought into Northern Ireland via ferry from Liverpool.
ISLE OF MAN HOME TO MORE PRIVATE JETS THAN FRANCE, ITALY OR SPAIN
On 13 November, City AM reported that there are around 2,444 private jets registered in Western Europe, compared to 2,414 in 2020 and 2,344 in 2019. Germany has the largest fleet of registered private jets with 485, and this is followed by the UK, including the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey, with 453 or 157, 241, 54 and 1 respectively. The Isle of Man, UK and France saw the biggest decline in the number of registered private jets between 2019 and 2021, falls of 33, 22 and 10 respectively.
https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-isle-of-man-home-to-more-private-jets-than-france-italy-or-spain/
ISRAEL: NEW RULES ENABLE ISRAELI BANKS TO ACCEPT PROFITS FROM DIGITAL CURRENCY TRADING WITHOUT FALLING FOUL OF AML LEGISLATION
On 14 November, Globes in Israel reported that a money laundering prevention ordinance has come into effect that will apply to all providers of financial services: fintech companies, credit providers, and cryptocurrency companies. The Money Laundering Prohibition Ordinance sets rules on KYC, reporting, record-keeping and lists various conditions for opening an account with remote customer identification. It also sets out rules for electronic transfer of money and digital currency within Israel and outside. Also released is a draft circular on management of money laundering and terror financing risk that will apply to all providers of financial services regulated under the ordinance.
THE WAR ON COLOMBIAN COCA PRODUCTION
On 29 October, Geopolitical Future published an article saying that Bogota’s anti-drug production efforts faced several setbacks in recent years, but that, on 25 October, the US Office of National Drug Control Policy announced a new US-Colombian counternarcotics strategy. It says that Mexican cartels have grown their presence and influence in Colombia’s cocaine production.
https://geopoliticalfutures.com/the-war-on-colombian-coca-production/
US OVERDOSE CRISIS WORSENED BY INFLUX OF COUNTERFEIT PRESCRIPTION PILLS
On 10 November, The Crime Report reported that the DEA says fentanyl has been passed off as legitimate painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The DEA is said to have seized millions of fakes — near-perfect copycats pressed on industrial equipment, and that a nationwide trend is that most drug overdoses are now due partly or entirely to fentanyl.
THE FIRST USE OF DNA EVIDENCE FROM TREES DURING A PROSECUTION IN A FEDERAL CRIMINAL TRIAL OF AN ILLEGAL LOGGER
On 12 November, The Crime Report said that a gang in Washington State had been convicted of taking highly prized maple trees in 2018 — used to produce musical instruments such as violins and guitars — and forging permits to sell the wood. DNA analysis found that the wood sold was a genetic match to the remains of 3 poached maple trees that investigators had discovered in the same area and was so precise that it found the probability of the match being coincidental was approximately 1 in 1 undecillion (1 followed by 36 zeros). The DNA evidence also proved that the chief defendant had unlawfully harvested and sold wood from 7 other maple trees.
https://thecrimereport.org/2021/11/12/crime-suspect-nabbed-by-dna-analysis-of-tree/
CHINESE COMPANY TRANSFERS THOUSANDS OF UYGHURS FROM XINJIANG TO NANJING
On 13 November, RFA claimed that a Chinese job-placement company transferred more than 3,000 Uyghur workers from the Xinjiang region to factories in other parts of China this year and plans to send thousands more in early 2022.
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/uyghur-forced-labor-11132021101447.html
CANADIAN BORDER AGENTS SEIZED $166 MILLION IN UNDECLARED CASH FROM TRAVELLERS 2015-20
On 9 November, Better Dwelling in Canada reported that, between April 2015 and March 2020, the CBSA seized well over $100 million in undeclared large cash holdings from travellers, which includes millions suspected of being the proceeds of crime, and carried across hundreds of travellers. The amount peaked in the 12-month period ending on 16 March 2016. It explains that CBSA uses a tiered-level system when assessing a person caught smuggling cash, and that in many cases you get your money back after paying the fine for not declaring the cash – CBSA collected $5 million in fines in the 5-year period under review. However, if the officer has reason to believe it was the proceeds of crime there are more implications. The article explains the tiers involved and says that Toronto and Vancouver are where most cash was discovered.
SWEDISH OIL EXECUTIVES INDICTED FOR COMPLICITY IN WAR CRIMES
On 13 November, OCCRP reported that 2 top executives from Lundin Energy of Sweden have been indicted for complicity in grave war crimes committed in Sudan between 1999 and 2003, and that the former Prime Minister Carl Bildt is a witness in the case. Those indicted were in charge of the operations in Sudan and handled contacts with representatives of the regime, prosecutors argue, and both men deny the charges.
https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/15484-swedish-oil-execs-indicted-for-complicity-in-war-crimes
KPMG SUED FOR $600 MILLION OVER ALLEGED SLOPPY AUDITING IN DUBAI’S ABRAAJ SCANDAL
On 12 November, The Edge Markets reported that KPMG LLP is being sued over its role in the insolvency of Dubai private-equity firm Abraaj Group. Abraaj, which managed some $14 billion at its peak, collapsed into insolvency in 2018, after being accused of misusing investor funds.
https://edps.europa.eu/data-protection/our-work/publications/factsheets/stop-think-look_en
https://edps.europa.eu/data-protection/our-work/our-work-by-type/factsheets_en
US TREASURY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ISRAEL TO COMBAT RANSOMWARE
On 14 November, the US Treasury advised that the US and Israel had met to establish a bilateral partnership to protect critical financial infrastructure and emerging technologies and expand international cooperation to counter the threat ransomware poses to countries and the global economy. An= new Task Force will pursue a variety of efforts and specific activities.
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