According to a dispatch published this Monday in the territory's Official Gazette, the memorandum of understanding for the exchange of information regarding the fight against money laundering, associated predicate crimes, financing of terrorism and financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction will be signed with the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Republic of Angola.
According to the dispatch, signed by the Chief Executive, Sam Hou Fai, on 14 February, the Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, may delegate this mission to the General Commander of the Unitary Police Service (SPU), Leong Man Cheong.
The Macao Information Office (GIF), responsible for combating money laundering, financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, is under the supervision of the SPU.
In March 2022, an annual report by the US State Department designated Macao as one of the main money laundering hotspots worldwide.
According to the GIF's annual report, in 2019 Macau became the only member of the Asia-Pacific Group Against Money Laundering (FATF) that met "all 40 international standards" on preventing money laundering, terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Angola was added to the FATF's 'grey list' in 2024 after falling short in its legal and financial regulatory regimes.
The FATF, an intergovernmental organisation, sets international standards on combating money laundering, terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The 'grey list' identifies countries that are actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in these areas.
Macau's GIF has signed information-sharing agreements with 33 countries and territories, including the Financial Intelligence Unit of Portugal's Judicial Police in 2008, the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Timor-Leste in 2018, and the Financial Activities Control Council of Brazil and the Financial Intelligence Unit of Cape Verde in 2019.
The number of suspicious transactions recorded in Macau's casinos will hit a new record in 2024 due to the recovery of the economy and tourism, GIF told Lusa in early February.
According to data released on 15 January by GIF, Macau's six casino operators filed a total of 3,837 reports of transactions suspected of money laundering or terrorist financing in 2024, 11.8 per cent more than the previous year.
