'Nizah' learns about Saudi Arabia's experience in receiving and analyzing reports of suspicious financial transactions

As part of its commitment to developing tools for detecting corruption and tracking its proceeds, a delegation from the Public Authority for Combating Corruption (Nazaha) in the State of Kuwait visited the General Directorate of Financial Investigations at the Saudi General Presidency of State Security. The delegation was received by the Director General, Major General Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Muhanna, in the presence of Dr. Nasser Aba Al-Khail, Deputy Chairman for International Cooperation at the National Commission for the Control and Prevention of Corruption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The delegation reviewed the Saudi experience in receiving and analyzing reports of suspicious financial transactions, and in leveraging smart programs and modern, advanced technologies to detect financial suspicions. This effort is complemented by cooperation and integration with all relevant government entities, enabling information integration and supporting more accurate and effective outcomes.

Al-Faris emphasized that tracking funds and uncovering their trails constitute a fundamental pillar in combating corruption. She noted that recovering the proceeds of crimes requires specialized capabilities in financial data analysis, information linking, and coordination among relevant authorities.

She stated, “Combating corruption is not complete by merely exposing the incident; it is essential to know where the money went, how it was transferred, and who benefited from it. The stronger the ability to answer these questions, the more effective the pursuit and recovery of illicit proceeds become.”

She added that what distinguishes this experience is the combination of advanced technical tools and institutional integration, achieved by employing smart programs to analyze information and link it with data available at relevant entities. This approach helps uncover relationships between transactions and associated parties, providing a more comprehensive picture of fund flows.

Al-Faris pointed out that countering sophisticated methods of concealing funds requires continuous development of detection and analysis tools, along with close cooperation among relevant authorities. This cooperation integrates financial information with investigative and research activities, within the jurisdictions and legal frameworks governing each entity.

For his part, Al-Dihani emphasized that the importance of financial analysis lies in transforming scattered data into information that helps competent authorities understand suspicious transactions and uncover links between individuals and related entities.

He said, “A single financial transaction may not reveal the full picture, but analyzing and linking it with other transactions and information may reveal patterns that warrant further examination and investigation. Leveraging smart technologies, alongside information integration among entities, enhances the accuracy of this analysis and improves the efficiency of detecting financial suspicions.”

He added that linking with relevant government entities is a crucial element in supporting financial investigations, as it provides information that helps complete the analysis and verify relevant links. He affirmed that the effectiveness of this system relies on the integration of technology, specialized expertise, and data quality.

He clarified that learning from the Saudi experience allows for benefiting from its expertise in analyzing reports and coordinating with local entities and international peer units, thereby supporting the development of technical capabilities and understanding the fund flows associated with corruption suspicions.

The General Directorate of Financial Investigations at the Saudi General Presidency of State Security is responsible for receiving reports of suspicious financial transactions from designated financial institutions and non-financial businesses and professions, analyzing the related information and data, preparing reports, referring cases requiring action to competent authorities, and exchanging information and expertise locally and internationally.

Al-Faris expressed her appreciation to Major General Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Muhanna for the warm reception, emphasizing the importance of exchanging expertise in leveraging modern technologies and developing institutional cooperation to detect illicit financial flows and pursue corruption proceeds.

The visit is part of the “Nizahat” delegation’s program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which includes examining specialized institutional experiences whose roles complement each other in preventing corruption, detecting it, pursuing its proceeds, and protecting public funds.