On 23 December, a post from Arms Control Wonk is concerned with Saudi Arabia producing ballistic missiles with Chinese assistance.
https://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1214345/saudi-arabia-producing-ballistic-missiles/
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/23/politics/saudi-ballistic-missiles-china/index.html
On 23 December, a report from the Government Accountability Office reviews how transnational criminal organisations and terrorist groups traffic goods such as illegal drugs, engage in human trafficking, and launder money. It also looked at the information sharing used to help detect these activities. It says it found that federal agencies and others have reported that money laundering strategies used by transnational criminal organisations and terrorist groups include sophisticated techniques such as phony trade transactions or purchase and resale of real estate or art – which can involve the services of professional money laundering networks or service providers in legitimate professions, such as complicit lawyers or accountants. For example, lawyers or accountants can create shell companies (entities with no business operations) to help criminals launder illicit proceeds. However, it also says that transnational criminal organisations and terrorist groups also continue to smuggle cash in bulk or transmit money electronically across borders.
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104807
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On 23 December, the EU Sanctions blog reported that the UN Security Council had unanimously adopted UN SCR 2615, which establishes an exemption for humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic needs in Afghanistan from Taliban-related sanctions. It will be reviewed after 1 year and the Security Council has requested that the Emergency Relief Coordinator brief its members every 6 months on the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
On 22 December, the FATF-style regional body CFATF published the 4th follow-up report on the Bahamas. CFATF says that The Bahamas has been under enhanced monitoring since the adoption of its Mutual Evaluation Report. To reflect the progress of The Bahamas, CFATF has re-rated the country in relation to FATF Recommendations 6, 7, 24 and 33 from Partially Compliant to Largely Compliant and Recommendations 19, 22, 26, 27 and 28 from Partially Compliant to Compliant. The Bahamas is Compliant with 18 FATF Recommendations and Largely Compliant on 20– combined they represent 38 out of the 40 FATF Recommendations. As is usual with such reports, it addresses only technical compliance, and not effectiveness ratings.
The Bahamas will remain in enhanced follow-up on the basis that it had a low or moderate level of effectiveness for 7 or more of the 11 Effectiveness outcome ratings. The Bahamas will continue to report back to the CFATF on progress to strengthen its implementation of AML/CFT/CPF measures.
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On 23 December, AOL reported that UK builder Balfour Beatty’s US arm that provides privatised military housing to America’s armed forces has agreed to pay £49 million in fines and damages after pleading guilty to fraud. Balfour Beatty Communities LLC is one of the largest providers of privatised military housing to the US Armed Forces.
https://www.aol.co.uk/money/balfour-beatty-us-arm-communities-085955005.html
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EU Regulation 2021/2311/EU has added Sanaullah Ghafari, leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K) to its sanctions lists, following the decision of the relevant UN Sanctions Committee.
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