Most cases of suspected money laundering were reported by banks
Keystone
Cases of suspected money laundering dropped slightly last year, but the volume of just under CHF3 billion ($3.4 billion) was nearly unchanged compare with 2012.The number of cases involving computer fraud rose significantly according to the Swiss authorities.
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The latest statistics published by the Money Laundering Reporting Office on Thursday show 1,411 cases filed by financial intermediaries, mostly banks in cantons Zurich, Geneva, Bern and Ticino in 2013.
Nearly four out of five cases were forwarded to the prosecution authorities.
Fraud – primarily phishing attempts – was once again the most frequent suspected predicate money laundering offence, according to the office’s annual report. Other offences included corruption and terrorist financing.
Officials say the figures are partly due to the absence of a major political upheaval in 2013, like the Arab Spring in North African countries in the previous years.
Last November a legal amendment came into force making cooperation with foreign financial intelligence services easier. The government also submitted a bill to parliament to introduce a 30-day time limit for mandatory processing of suspicious activities.
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