Thematic Discussion
of the Counter-Terrorism Committee
on Cash Couriers
Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)
United Nations
New York, 20 December 2010
Why cash and BNI?
Terrorism requires funding
 Raising funds for terrorist acts
 Moving funds for terrorist acts
Why cash and BNI?
– Avoid controls
– Easy to carry -> especially BNI
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International Legal framework
Resolution 1373 (2001) requires States to:
 Para 1 a “… prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist
acts..”
 Para 2 g “…prevent the movement of terrorist or terrorist
groups by effective border controls…”
Resolution 1526 (2004) urges States to:
 “…establish internal reporting requirements and
procedures on the trans-border movement of currency
based on applicable thresholds…”
Resolution 1617 (2005) urged all Member States to:
 “…implement the Financial Action Task Force forty
Recommendations on money laundering and nine Special
Recommendations on terrorism financing…”
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International Legal framework, cont’d
United Nations 1999 International Convention for the Suppression
of the Financing of terrorism requires States Parties to the
Convention to:
 “… consider introducing feasible measures to detect or monitor the
physical cross-border transportation of cash and BNI, subject to strict
safeguards to ensure proper use of information and without impeding
the freedom of capital movements…”
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
 Pillar II, Paragraph 13 “…improve border and customs controls in
order to prevent and detect…”
FATF
 Special Recommendation IX, interpretative note and best practices
paper
WCO
 Recommendation on the Need to Develop and Strengthen the Role
of Customs Administrations in Tackling Money Laundering and in
Recovering the Proceeds of Crime (2005)
 Enforcement Guidelines on Countering Money Laundering and 4
terrorist Financing (2008)
Legal, institutional and
border control measures
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Declaration / disclosure system at the borders
Authorities: ask for further information from the carrier; stop
or restrain; impose sanctions or confiscate
Administration, detection and prevention: signage; forms;
data collection; analysis/targeting units; inspection capacity;
trained staff; API; cooperation/coordination; info exchange
Operational border controls, including intelligence and
information analysis, red flag indicators, inspection (X-ray,
canine, scanning/probing equipment), (timely) information
exchange with FIU and other agencies, national and
international cooperation
Customs services are the border implementing authorities
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Challenges in implementation
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Inconsistent implementation of the legal regime;
Inadequate knowledge of applicable laws and authorities
No or insufficient dedicated functions or units to record
and analyse information related to cash couriers
Insufficient risk indicators, targeting criteria and
information analysis at the front line
Insufficient information sharing and cooperation among
customs, law enforcement, immigration and FIU on
national, regional and international levels
Lack of adequate human and financial resources
Lack of detection equipment or inadequate use
No outbound controls
No determination of origin or destination of cash to
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support follow up verification / investigation
CTED activities on Cash Couriers
CTED is working with partners to develop appropriate
approaches to promote FATF’s Cash Courier Best
Practices and WCO’s Guidelines:
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Contributing to the development of training curricula
Emphasizing the relevance of the cross-border movement of
cash and BNI to TF and required controls in dialogue with
States
Organizing regional workshops and facilitating other TA based
on analysis of State needs
Translation of FATF’s Best Practices paper on Cash Couriers
into UN official languages
Upload of related information to the CTC web page to raise
awareness
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Actions
The Committee will endeavour to:
 Increase its efforts to raise awareness of Member States
of the challenges and required measures to control the
illicit cross-border movement of cash and other BNI
through increased dialogue, regional meetings and other
mechanisms

Promote FATF’s Best Practices paper on detecting and
preventing the illicit cross-border transportation of cash
and bearer negotiable instruments, and the WCO’s
Enforcement Guidelines on Countering Money
Laundering and Terrorist Financing

Promote the adoption of national legislative provisions to
give effect to border controls on the movement of cash
across borders
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Actions, cont’d
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Encourage States to strengthen efforts to enhance
border security measures at points of entry/exit by
implementing effective controls, including training and
procuring the necessary inspection equipment
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Encourage States to enhance inter-agency cooperation,
coordination and information exchange at the national,
regional and international levels
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Questions?
Thank you
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