Al-Faris: Tracing Corruption Funds and Combating Their Concealment
A delegation from the General Commission for Combating Corruption visited the Saudi General Directorate of Financial Investigations to study mechanisms for tracking corruption proceeds and analyzing suspicious financial data.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
In line with its commitment to developing tools for detecting corruption and tracing illicit proceeds, a delegation from the General Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (Nazaha) visited the Saudi Financial Intelligence Unit (SAFIU), under the General Presidency of State Security. The delegation was received by SAFIU’s Director General, Major General Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Muhanna, with the presence of Dr. Nasser Aba Al-Khail, Vice President for International Cooperation at the National Commission for Integrity and Anti-Corruption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The delegation was chaired by Nazaha’s Chairperson, Dr. Rana Al-Faris, and included Deputy Chairman of the Board Dr. Majad Al-Daihani, Board Member Dhiya Issam Al-Otaibi, Assistant Secretary-General for the Corruption Detection and Investigation Sector Fawaz Al-Mutairi, and Abdulrahman Al-Wazzan, representative of the International Cooperation Department.
The delegation reviewed Saudi Arabia’s experience in receiving and analyzing reports of suspicious financial transactions, leveraging smart programs and modern, advanced technologies to detect financial suspicions, alongside cooperation and integration with all relevant government entities. This approach enables information integration and supports more accurate and effective outcomes. Dr. Al-Faris emphasized that tracing funds and uncovering their pathways constitute a fundamental pillar in combating corruption. She noted that recovering criminal proceeds requires specialized capabilities in financial data analysis, information linking, and coordination among relevant authorities.
She added, “Combating corruption is not complete merely by exposing the offense; it is essential to know where the money went, how it was transferred, and who benefited from it. The stronger the capacity to answer these questions, the more effective the pursuit and recovery of illicit proceeds become.”
She explained that what distinguishes this Saudi 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 from relevant entities. This facilitates uncovering relationships between transactions and associated parties, providing a more comprehensive picture of fund movements.
Dr. 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 inquiry activities, within the jurisdictions and legal frameworks governing each entity’s work.
