Nabha Studies Saudi Experience in Financial Investigations and Tracking Suspicious Funds

As part of its commitment to developing tools for detecting corruption and tracking its 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, to learn about Saudi Arabia’s experience in receiving and analyzing reports of suspicious financial transactions, and in leveraging smart programs and modern, advanced technologies to identify financial suspicions. The visit also focused on cooperation and integration with all relevant government entities, enabling information integration and supporting more accurate and effective outcomes.

The delegation was led by Nazaha’s Chairperson, Dr. Rana Al-Faris, and included Board Vice Chairman Dr. Majad Al-Daihani, Board Member Dhiyab Al-Otaibi, Assistant Secretary-General for the Corruption Detection and Investigation Sector Fawaz Al-Mutairi, and a representative of the International Cooperation Department, Abdulrahman Al-Wazzan. They were received by the Director General of SAFIU, Major General Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Muhanna.

During the visit, Dr. Al-Faris emphasized that “tracking funds and uncovering their trails constitute a fundamental pillar in combating corruption.” She noted that “recovering criminal proceeds requires specialized capabilities in financial data analysis, information integration, and coordination among relevant entities.”

She added, “Combating corruption is not complete by merely identifying the incident; it is essential to know where the money went, how it moved, 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 further stated that “what distinguishes this Saudi experience is the combination of advanced technical tools and institutional integration, by employing smart programs to analyze information and link it with data available from relevant entities. This helps uncover relationships between transactions and associated parties, forming a more comprehensive picture of fund flows.”

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

For his part, Dr. Al-Daihani stressed that “the importance of financial analysis lies in transforming fragmented data into information that enables competent authorities to understand suspicious transactions and uncover links between individuals and related entities.”

He noted that “a single financial transaction may not reveal the full picture, but analyzing and linking it with other transactions and information may expose patterns warranting 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 connections.” He emphasized 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 visit is part of Nazaha’s delegation program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which includes studying specialized institutional experiences whose roles complement each other in preventing corruption, detecting it, pursuing its proceeds, and protecting public funds.

Dr. Rana Al-Faris noted that “combating sophisticated methods of concealing funds requires continuous development of detection and analysis tools, as well as close cooperation among relevant authorities, with financial information integrated into investigative and inquiry activities, within the jurisdictions and legal frameworks governing each entity’s work.”

The Saudi General Directorate of Financial Investigations 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 on them, referring cases that warrant further action to the competent authorities, and exchanging information and expertise both domestically and internationally.