Large-scale money laundering network uncovered

The Halle-Vilvoorde public prosecutor's office and federal judicial police have uncovered a large-scale money laundering network. During 13 house searches in Halle-Vilvoorde, Brussels, Mons, Walloon Brabant and Charleroi, eight people were arrested. During the searches, police also confiscated €440,000 in cash and blocked 500 bank accounts.

“It all started when the Financial Intelligence Processing Unit (CTIF - CFI) reported suspicious transactions on a company's bank accounts to the public prosecutor,” said public prosecutor spokesperson Sabine Lievens. “The unit found that over a period of 14 months, the accounts of this company were credited with a total amount of over €1,500,000. Because of the company's history and the nature of the transactions, it was suspected that money laundering was involved.”

The investigation then uncovered an organisation involved in money laundering. “This organisation was the hub between criminal organisations with a lot of cash at their disposal and companies in need of cash to pay employees off the books. The money laundering involved the organisation issuing invoices for services not performed to their ‘customers’, who then paid them via their bank account. The organisation repaid this money in cash, albeit minus its commission. This way, the companies had dirty money with which they amongst others paid employees.”

To account for this flow of cash funds, several ‘fictitious’ companies were set up, headed by Portuguese front men. About €50,000,000 a year was allegedly circulated this way, on which the criminal organisation pocketed a commission of between 8 and 10 per cent.

^{Euro bank notes seized by customs officers at the Felix Eboue International airport in French Guiana in 2022 © BELGA PHOTO jody amiet / AFP}