The Minister for Justice, Trade, and Industry, Nigel Feetham, recently visited HM Customs Investigation Branch as part of his ministerial responsibility for overseeing Moneyval compliance. 

A statement from the Government follows below:

The Investigation Branch is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting serious criminal offences. 

The Investigation Branch is led by a Senior Customs Officer and includes a team of five investigators and three support staff. Investigators are trained to HMRC (UK) standards, which encompasses financial intelligence sharing, financial investigations, and the recovery and confiscation of criminal assets. The Investigation Branch not only supports other HM Customs sections but also collaborates with local and international law enforcement agencies and authorities. 

Since Gibraltar was removed from the FATF ‘grey list’ earlier this year, Minister Feetham has been working closely with all law enforcement agencies and regulators in preparation for the next Moneyval evaluation. 

During his visit, Minister Feetham discussed ongoing strategies and initiatives with the Investigation Branch team, emphasising the importance of continued work in maintaining Gibraltar’s compliance with international financial standards. 

The Government is committed to robust financial regulation and to taking a proactive stance in combating financial crime. 

The Minister for Justice, Trade, and Industry, Nigel Feetham KC MP, remarked: “I think it’s important that I am visible in delivering the message to all our law enforcement and regulatory agencies that we must not take our foot off the pedal. This visit provided a valuable opportunity to meet with the team at HM Customs Investigation Branch, and I appreciated the chance to see their work firsthand. Although I meet the Collector of Customs regularly, I enjoyed meeting the wider team and learning more about their efforts.”